BRISTOL, Tenn. --- The Tusculum College volleyball team split a pair of matches in day two action of the King University Invitational on Saturday.  The Pioneers dropped a tough 3-2 decision to Montevallo in the morning, but bounced back with a 3-0 sweep over Virginia-Wise.  
    
Tusculum (3-1) posted a 3-1 record on the weekend and will open South Atlantic Conference play on Wednesday at Lincoln Memorial for a 7 p.m. match at Mars Gymnasium.

Montevallo 3, Tusculum 2

Kristy Bohan recorded 21 kills and a .395 hitting percentage to lead Montevallo to a five-set victory over Tusculum.  The Falcons (2-1) won the match by scores of 17-25, 25-20, 20-25, 25-16, 15-11.

Bohan added eight digs and five blocks as UM rallied from a set down to claim the victory.

Cassie Born led the Pioneers as she finished with a dozen kills to go along with her 18 digs.  Shannon Murphy recorded her third consecutive double-double to start the young season as she posted 26 assists and 16 digs.  Hallie Zumack added 18 assists and nine digs, while Melissa Mazur recorded a match-high 29 digs in the loss.

For Montevallo, Chandler Cooper tallied 13 kills and six blocks, while Hannah Christie dished out 39 assists and made 10 digs for the Falcons.

Tusculum scored the final seven points of the opening set, including four straight service aces from Mazur to claim the opening frame 25-17.

In the second set with UM trailing 13-10, Montevallo erupted for an 8-0 run, including three kills from Bohan as the Falcons claimed the frame 25-20 to tie the match at a game apiece.

Tusculum bounced back in the third set with a 25-20 win to take a 2-1 lead in the match.  Born and Sarah Bouley each recorded four kills in the frame, while Mariah Lewis added three with two blocks.

The Falcons used an 11-3 run in the fourth set to claim a 25-16 decision and send the match to a deciding frame.

In the final set, Tusculum jumped out to a 3-1 lead, only to see Montevallo respond with a 5-1 spark to move ahead 6-4 following a Cooper kill.  TC tied the score at 7-7 with a Lewis kill and a UM attack error.  Montevallo scored four consecutive points to go ahead 11-7.  TC fought back with a 3-0 run of its own including kills from Aubrey Hawkins and Kayli Dempster to trim the deficit to 11-10.  But the Falcons closed out the match with a 4-1 spurt to claim the victory.

Tusculum 3, Virginia-Wise 0

Cassie Born accounted for eight digs, while Rachel Garnett posted a .333 hitting percentage as Tusculum swept UVa-Wise 3-0 to wrap up their stay in Bristol.  The Pioneers won by scores of 25-21, 25-13, 25-15.

Madison Shumaker tallied six kills, while Laryssa Welch and Mariah Lewis finished with five kills and three blocks apiece.

Setter Shannon Murphy added 16 assists and nine digs, while Hallie Zumack dished out 11 helpers.  The defensive duo of Melissa Mazur and Megan Yopko tallied 13 and 12 digs, respectively for the Pioneers.

Amanda Auxier led the Cavaliers (0-4) with seven kills, while Morgan Milligan added 21 assists and six digs.

Tusculum rallied from a 17-12 deficit in the opening set and used a 13-4 run down the stretch to claim the opening frame 25-21.

Born was named to the King Invitational All-Tournament Team.

King Invitational All-Tournament Team

Newberry – Kensley Jordan
Tusculum – Cassie Born
Montevallo – Kristy Bohan
UVa-Wise – Amanda Auxier
Erskine – Kristen Dodge
Shorter – Elizabeth Dowd
Lincoln Memorial – Kierra Holland
King – Cathy Scaniffe