ANDERSON, S.C. --- The sixth-seeded Augusta University women's volleyball team recorded a 3-0 sweep over No. 3 seed Tusculum University in quarterfinal match of the 2021 NCAA Division II Southeast Regional. The regional is being held at the Abney Athletic Center and hosted by Anderson University.
With the victory, the Jaguars (23-8) advance to Friday's semifinal where they will face second-seeded Anderson. Tusculum has its historic season end with a 20-6 overall mark.
Augusta won the match by scores of 25-20, 25-21 and 27-25. Kylie Martin led the Jags with a team-best nine kills, while Chloe Allen accounted for five kills, 14 digs and a pair of service aces.
The Pioneers got a match-high 10 kills from Carli Pigza, while Southeast Region Player of the Emiah Burrowes accounted for eight kills and nine digs. Lydia Collins and Raeley Matthews had five kills apiece, while the setting duo of Madison Adkins and Elise Carmichael dished out 17 and 14 assists, respectively. Carly Sosnowski finished the match with 15 digs.
Martin recorded five of her nine kills in the opening set as the Jaguars won 25-20. The set was a tight one early as neither team could distance themselves from the other with the Pioneers take a 15-13 lead following an Adkins' ace. ASU would answer with a 9-3 run to take a 22-18 lead after an ace by Samantha Zittrauer. Julie Archer recorded a kill to get to set point and a TU attack error followed as the Jaguars to a 1-0 lead in the match.
In the second set mirrored the first as TU went on a 4-0 run and led 15-12 to force an AU timeout. The Jags went on a 5-2 run to tie the score at 17-17 following a block by Alyssa Frazier. TU would take a 19-18 advantage on a Raven Chance kill. But Augusta close out the frame with a 7-2 run including back-to-back kills from Martin as the Jaguars took a 2-0 match lead.
Augusta took the momentum and opened up a 7-3 lead in the third frame on a block by Alexis Diaz-Infante. ASU maintained the lead and were up 15-12 following a TU hitting error. The Pioneers came to life though and went on a 6-1 spurt to lead 18-16 thanks to a Burrowes' kill. Augusta responded with an 8-2 run to reach a 24-20 lead and match-point.
Tusculum fought off four match-points including consecutive kills from Pigza as the Pioneers evened the score at 24-24. After a TU service error, the Pioneers fought off another match-point when Emma Johnson posted a kill to tie the score at 25-25. Tusculum looked to have taken a 26-25 lead in the set, but a re-do on the play was called. Augusta responded with a kill from Radka Brichackova and Allen finished off the match with a kill to send the Jaguars to the semifinals.
Tusculum finished the match hitting .188 on the night with 35 kills on 101 attempts with 16 errors. ASU hit .138 for the match with 36 kills, 21 errors on 109 attempts. TU held a 46-43 advantage in digs, while the Jags finished the evening with six total blocks including three from Frazier.
The Pioneers wrap up a banner season which saw numerous individual and team accomplishments, including the program's first SAC Championship and sixth league title overall. TU was making its sixth NCAA postseason appearance and first since 2013.
Tusculum swept the two major regular-season awards with Burrowes being named SAC Player of the Year, while head coach Danielle Marante was tabbed the Conference Coach of the Year and later garnered AVCA Region Coach of the Year laurels.
Five Pioneers earned All-SAC recognition including Burrowes, Pigza, Carmichael, Matthews and Sosnowski. Sonowski was also named to the SAC All-Tournament team and earlier this week earned AVCA All-Region honors.
Carmichael finished the season averaging a NCAA-II leading 0.65 service aces per set, which is a new TU record, breaking the 2002 mark of 0.64 posted by Rachel Clinton. Carmichael's 60 aces are the fourth-most in a TU single-season.
The Pioneers posted the program's 23rd season with 20 victories and first since the 2013 campaign.
