GREENWOOD, S.C. --- The Tusculum College volleyball team finished 1-1 in the first day of the PBC / SAC Crossover after suffering a 3-1 defeat to Francis Marion University. Rachel Garnett led Tusculum (7-8) with a career-high 20 kills.

The Pioneers won a dramatic 3-2 victory over Lander University to open the conference's crossover event earlier today. Garnett is the first Tusculum player to register 20 kills this season and the first since Megan Hass on Oct. 25, 2014.

Melissa Mazur, the NCAA Division II dig leader, tallied 38 to lead all players. Sarah Bouley finished with 14 kills, which matched a career-high. Hannah Berling registered her team-leading 10th double-double of the season with 43 assists and 16 digs.

Alexandra Reed and Carlie Smith led Francis Marion (8-7) with 16 kills apiece while Caroline Boone registered 10. Carrie McGinnis and Samantha Hinrichs each dished out 26 assists while Shelbi Meek had 37 digs.

After the Patriots took the first set, the Pioneers raced out to a 14-5 lead in the second. TC held a 21-13 lead later in the frame, but FMU responded with a 9-2 run to cut the lead to 23-21. The Pioneers benefitted from an attack error by Reed to earn set point and closed it out with a kill from Garnett.

Francis Marion took a 2-1 lead in the match with its eight-point third set victory. Looking to force a fifth set, Tusculum erased a 23-20 lead in the fourth with a 4-0 spurt to earn set point at 24-23. Mazur stepped to the line but committed a service error and the Patriots then got their first match point off a kill by Boone in the next rally with the score at 25-24.

The Pioneers fought it off with another Garnett kill and then re-gained set point from a kill by Laryssa Welch. A TC attack error tied the set at 26-26 and the teams traded points in the next three rallies as the Pioneers held a 28-27 advantage. FMU fought off a fifth set again with a kill by Reed and then gained its second match point on a Pioneer attack error. One final kill from Smith in the next rally sealed the victory for the Patriots and ended the marathon set.

Tusculum will be back in action in its final game at the PBC/SAC Crossover tomorrow morning on the road at USC Aiken. First serve is set for 11 a.m.