GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Emily Conlin recorded a double-double with 38 assists and 12 digs to lead the Anderson University volleyball team to a 3-0 sweep over host Tusculum College Friday night at Pioneer Arena.
The Trojans (16-11, 12-7 SAC) won the match by scores of 25-15, 25-23, 26-24 to complete the season sweep over the Pioneers (11-16, 6-13 SAC) for their fourth straight loss.
Anderson posted a .316 hitting percentage with 48 kills, 11 errors in 117 attempts. Marissa Mitter posted 12 kills and 14 digs, while Allison Gaminde added nine kills and a .500 attack percentage.
Senior Sarah Bouley led Tusculum with 11 kills with one error in her 27 attempts to finish with a .370 hitting percentage. Mariah Lewis added 10 kills, while senior Rachel Garnett accounted for seven kills and a .375 hitting percentage.
The Trojans scored the first nine points of the match and hit .355 in the opening set to post a 25-15 decision in the first frame. AU got four kills each from Gaminde, Mitter and Kathryn Hughes in the first set.
In the second frame, Tusculum took an early 3-1 lead following a Cassie Born service ace. But the Trojans responded with an 11-5 spurt to take a 12-8 lead following a kill from Rachel Burts. AU extended the lead to 15-10, before TC rallied with an 8-3 run to tie the set at 18-18 on a Laryssa Welch kill. Anderson scored the next two points to regain the lead at 20-18. TC would cut the deficit to one several times down the stretch, including 24-23 following a Bouley kill. But Jackson closed out the frame with a kill on set-point to claim a 25-23 win and extend the Trojans' lead to 2-0.
Tusculum came out roaring in the third set as the Pioneers jumped out to a 7-1 lead sparked by two kills each from Lewis and Bouley during the run. Anderson chipped away at the deficit and trailed 8-5 thank to a Mitter kill. TC would push the lead back to six at 13-7, but back came the Trojans with an 11-3 spark to take an 18-16 lead. TC regained the advantage with a 4-1 run to move ahead 20-19. The lead bounced back and forth as the Pioneers got kill from Aubrey Hawkins and a Trojans' hitting error to lead 24-23. But Anderson finished the game with three straight points including a Burts' kill and back-to-back TC errors as the Trojans won 26-24 to claim the match.
Tusculum finished with 42 assists, including 21 helpers from Hallie Zumack and 14 from Shannon Murphy.
Coker edged the Pioneers in digs by a 61-49 margin led by Emily Conard's 16 digs. Born led TC with 13 digs, while Bouley tallied 10 to complete her double-double.
Friday was Senior Night for the Pioneers as TC honored Bouley and Garnett in pre-match ceremonies.
Tusculum will play its 2016 home finale on Saturday, hosting Newberry College for a 2 p.m. match at Pioneer Arena.
