JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. --- The Tusculum University women's volleyball team survived yet another five-set match against Carson-Newman this season. Friday's (Nov. 12) victory earns the Pioneers a season sweep over the Mossy Creek squad.
The Black and Orange (18-4, 14-3 SAC) posted a comeback by scores of 19-25, 25-22, 23-25, 25-20, 15-11 to withstand the Eagles (17-13, 10-7 SAC).
Carson-Newman leaned on 11 kills by both Julia Wheeler and Erin Edwards. Blake Cherry and Taylor Keeran were next up with nine and eight kills, respectively. Abbey Hildenbrand dished out 24 assists, while Taylor Rohr contributed 11. Wheeler also led the Eagles with a trio of service aces and Cherry added two. Cherry finished with a team-high 17 digs as four of her teammates reached double-figures as well: Wheeler (12), Hayden Barton (12), Hildenbrand (11), and Rohr (10). At the net, Keeran is credited with seven block assists, ahead of four by Edwards.
Carli Pigza stepped up in a big way when Tusculum needed her most and shattered her previous career-best in kills, collecting 19 on a .302 hitting percentage. Emiah Burrowes notched 15 kills, while Emma Johnson reached double-digits (10) for the first time in her career. Elise Carmichael and Catherine Clingan shared setting duties to record 27 and 18, respectively. Carmichael also landed the most aces for the Pioneers with two, rounded out by Burrowes, Raeley Matthews, and Clingan. She has at least one ace in 21 consecutive matches.
The TU defense came together, both in the back row and the front. Matthews scooped up 20 digs to reset her previous collegiate-best, while Carly Sosnowski also recorded 20. Carmichael upped her career-high in digs to 14 and Burrowes completed her eighth double-double of the season with her 11 digs in the match. Raven Chance is credited with six total blocks (two solo, four assists) to go along with her five kills, setting a new personal-best of nine points.
Carson-Newman hit .106 as a team with 45 kills and 28 errors in 161 total attempts. Tusculum hit .153 with 61 kills, 34 errors, and 176 total attacks. The Pioneers led the match in assists (53-42) and digs (83-69), while the Eagles had the advantage in aces (7-5) and total blocks (12.5-8).
Tusculum got out to an early lead (7-4) in the opening frame before Carson-Newman came storming back. Both teams landed 11 kills but the Eagles had the 3-1 block advantage. The Eagles scored five-straight to overtake the Pioneers for good in the set. TU fought off two set-points at the end.
The Pioneers led the entirety of set two, from start to finish, beginning with the first of six Carson-Newman attack errors. Pigza followed with three of the next four points to extend the lead. The Eagles were forced to call an early timeout, down 6-1. Back-to-back Pigza kills continued the Pioneer onslaught, reaching an 11-point advantage three times. Trailing 22-11, Carson-Newman won the next 11-of-13 points. Tusculum hung on to tie the match.
Set three was the closest score of the five at 25-23, in favor of the home team. Tusculum had a match-best 15 kills in the frame, but four blocks by the Eagles proved to be the difference. Once again, TU had a sizable lead, up 20-16. A Carson-Newman timeout sparked a 9-3 spurt to surpass the Pioneers and take the match lead.
The fourth set featured eight ties and four lead changes as Tusculum refused to lay down. Carmichael led off with an ace and Matthews added a pair of kills to put the Pioneers up 6-3. Carson-Newman got consecutive kills before TU went on an 8-4 spurt. The Eagles climbed back in it, thanks to missed opportunities. The rivals traded scores until a final 19-all tie. A Chance solo block and kills by Johnson, Burrowes, and Pigza sent the match to a decisive fifth set.
The Pioneers used both the offense with 10 kills and defense with three blocks in set five to leave Holt Fieldhouse with a win. Tusculum looked well in control with a 7-4 advantage, capped off by a Lydia Collins kill. Carson-Newman needed a timeout to settle and used four-straight miscues to retake the lead. Burrowes ended the run with a kill, followed by a Burrowes-Chance block and a kill by Johnson to clip the Eagles. Four of the final five points of the match came courtesy of a Pigza swing.
Tusculum wraps up the regular season at Lincoln Memorial, with first serve scheduled for 2 p.m. The Pioneers will vie for a three-way share of the SAC title, the first in program history.
