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Volleyball falls to Lenoir-Rhyne on senior night

Volleyball falls to Lenoir-Rhyne on senior night
Box score

GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Emily Steele recorded eight kills and six blocks to lead the Lenoir-Rhyne University volleyball team to a three-set victory at Tusculum College Friday night at Pioneer Arena in South Atlantic Conference action.

The Bears (18-7, 16-4 SAC) won the match by scores of 25-23, 25-17 and 27-25 to sweep the season series over the Pioneers (11-15, 8-12 SAC) and secure their sixth consecutive win.

Lenoir-Rhyne finished the match with a .214 hitting percentage as the Bears tallied 38 kills with 11 errors in 126 attacks. Tusculum hit .115 for the match with 48 kills, 30 errors and 157 total attacks. LR tallied seven service aces and finished the evening with nine total blocks (1 solo, 16 assists).

Tusculum's Rachel Garnett led all players with 19 kills and a .447 hitting percentage (19-2-38). Garnett's 19 kills are tied for the fifth most in a three-set match in program history.

Senior setter Hannah Berling posted a solid stat line with 38 assists and 10 digs to go along with six kills in eight attempts and zero errors (.750).

Melissa Mazur led the Pioneers defensively with 25 digs, while senior Danae Stauffer added five kills and six digs for the home team.

The opening set was a back and forth affair which saw eight ties and five lead changes. Lenoir-Rhyne used a 10-5 run early in the frame to take a 14-10 advantage follow blocks from Brooke Redmond and Steele. TC rattled off five straight points to retake the lead at 15-14 following back-to-back kills from Laryssa Welch and a Berling kill. Tusculum extended the lead to 20-17 and later led 23-20 following a Garnett kill. The Bears rallied with five straight points to end the frame two kills from Steele, a Morgan Bunker kill and a TC attack error on set point as LR prevailed 25-23.

In the second set, the Bears recorded six service aces, including three in a row by Jillian Born as Lenoir-Rhyne posted a 25-17 in the frame. The Bears rattled off a 6-0 run sparked by Born's trifecta from the service line to lead 12-8, an advantage they wouldn't surrender.

Tusculum came out on fire in the third set as the Pioneers vaulted out to an 8-1 advantage sparked by a five-kill outburst from Garnett during the run. With Tusculum leading 12-5, the Bears chipped away at the deficit with a 7-2 run to trail 13-11. Tusculum bumped its lead back out to four at 16-12 after Madison Shumaker kill. After a LR timeout, the Bears responded with 7-1 run to take a 19-17 lead. TC used a 6-2 spurt to take a 23-21 lead and led 24-22 thanks to a Sabrina Schleuger kill.

The Bears fought off two set points to tie the frame at 24-24. It would be tied again at 25-25 before Steele posted her eighth kill of the night and TC had an attack error on match point.

Tusculum will host Brevard College on Saturday at Pioneer Arena as the Pioneers and Tornados are battling for the eighth and final spot to earn a berth to the South Atlantic Conference Tournament. Match time is slated for noon at Pioneer Arena.

- TC -

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