GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum University women's volleyball team won its 10th South Atlantic Conference match of the season and stayed perfect at home (8-0) with its sweep over Coker on Friday (Oct. 15) night. Junior setter Elise Carmichael is now listed among the top-10 in program history in career assists with 1118 since her debut in 2019.
The Black and Orange (14-2, 10-1 SAC) won the match by scores of 25-16, 25-20, 25-17 to strike down the Cobras (2-16, 0-11 SAC). This marks TU's third consecutive sweep of Coker.
The Cobras collected seven kills from Taylor Parker, just ahead of five by Lauren Loveday. Nearly all of Coker's assists were dished out by the two setters and the libero: Rami Mullen (7), Ashley Carson (6), and Makayla Harris (6). Parker also landed all four service aces for the visitors. Harris scooped up almost half of Coker's digs, notching nine for the match. At the net, Chelsey Blume had the most influence and is credited with four total blocks (one solo, three assists).
Raeley Matthews finished with a match-high 13 kills on a .400 hitting percentage. Emiah Burrowes followed with 10 kills on a .500 clip, while Lydia Collins (.500) and Bailey Parker tallied five apiece. Catherine Clingan handed out 18 assists, followed by Carmichael's 16. Matthews had a career outing, landing a collegiate-best five aces. Carmichael has now recorded an ace in her last 15 matches as she rounded out the column with one.
Defensively, Carly Sosnowski was the only player to reach double-digit digs in the match, collecting 13. Burrowes nearly completed her sixth double-double of the season, but fell short with seven digs. Three Pioneers are credited with two total blocks: Peyton Gash (two assists), Parker (two assists), and Collins (one solo, one assist).
Coker hit .060 as a team with 24 kills and 19 errors in 84 total attempts. Tusculum hit an even .300 with 40 kills, 16 errors, and 80 total attacks. The Pioneers led the match in assists (38-23), digs (33-20), and aces (6-4), while the Cobras totaled one more block (5-4).
The foes both began the match a bit sluggish offensively, but Tusculum shook off the slow start to handle Coker in minimum sets. Matthews helped right the ship, winning four of TU's first six points on her own (three aces, one kill). She landed a fourth ace later in the opening frame. The Cobras pulled the set within reach, but unforced errors and kills by a trio of Pioneers (Collins, Burrowes, and Carli Pigza) shut it down.
Tusculum landed a match-high 16 kills in set two, kicked off by a Parker smash. Coker managed a 9-8 lead but a 7-0 service run by Carmichael shot TU back out front. The Cobras fought off three set-points, yet another attack miscue could not make it four.
The Pioneers were nearly unstoppable in the final set, hitting an electric .429 with 15 kills to only three errors. Defensively, they held Coker to an even hitting percentage for the second time in the match. The Cobras started the frame by taking four of the first five points, spurred on by a pair of aces. TU put up scoring spurts to cut into the lead and, ultimately, take it over. The Pioneers were gifted eight points via Coker attack errors as well, aiding in the winning effort.
Tusculum hosts Wingate on Saturday (Oct. 16) for the teams' second match-up of the season, with the Pioneers looking for their first-ever season sweep of the Bulldogs. The match time is scheduled for 2 p.m.
