GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum University volleyball team opened the season Friday with a pair of wins at the 2018 South Atlantic Conference Regional Crossover which is being held at Pioneer Arena this weekend.
The Pioneers (2-0) opened the year with a convincing three-set sweep over Chowan and followed with a gutty 3-1 victory over Emmanuel (Ga.) in the day's final contest. Tusculum will face Belmont Abbey (2 p.m.) and King (6 p.m.) on Saturday to wrap-up this weekend's event.
Tusculum 3, Chowan 0
The Pioneers posted a sizzling .385 hitting percentage while Chowan was held in negative numbers with a minus-.052 as TU prevailed 3-0. Tusculum won by scores of 25-16, 25-14, 25-12 as Chowan dropped to 0-2 on the young season.
Kayli Dempster led the charge with a match-high 12 kills and a .476 hitting percentage (12-2-21). TU also got four kills each from Cassie Born, Gabby Gray, Carli Pigza and Tatum Thornton. The Pioneers recorded 39 total kills against just nine hitting errors in 78 total attempts. Setter Alyssa Rojas added 2 assists, while Melizza Mazur contributed 12 digs in the win.
Tusculum came out roaring posting kills on 10 of their first 16 attempts with zero errors. TU finished the opening frame with a .571 attack percentage tallying 13 kills with one error on 21 attempts.
The Hawks finished in red numbers with 17 kills, 21 errors and 77 attempts.
Tusculum 3, Emmanuel (Ga.) 1
Gray led three Pioneers in double-figure kills with 11 as Tusculum defeated Emmanuel 3-1. TU won by scores of 25-22, 19-25, 25-21 and 25-17.
Tusculum finished the match with a .169 hitting percentage with 49 kills, 24 errors and 148 attempts. Emmanuel posted a .129 clip with 45 kills, 26 errors and 147 attacks as the Lions dropped to 4-2 on the season.
Joining Gray in double-digit kills are Aubrey Hawkins and Born who completed her double-double with 10 kills. Mazur added 19 digs, while Rojas contributed a double-double of her own with 22 assists and 12 digs. Setter Emily Lawless tallied 20 assists and four digs for the Black & Orange.
Emmanuel's Jenna Woodruff led all players with 13 kills, while Jessica Gray posted a dozen kills. Setter Stephanie Hardy finished with a match-high 35 assists to go along with her 10 digs and three service aces.
