TAMPA, Fla. --- The Tusculum University women's volleyball team continued its arduous start to the season by facing the defending national champion on its homecourt at the weekend Tampa Classic.

The Spartans (5-0) swept the Pioneers (0-2) by scores of 25-16, 25-17, 25-21. However, neither team had a player reach double-digit kills.

Hayley Dillon landed nine kills on an efficient .500 hitting percentage to pace Tampa. Tess Schrenger nearly notched a double-double with her eight kills and 10 digs. Using a two-setter rotation, both Zoey Seput (18) and Emily Noe (16) recorded double-figures in assists. Noe was also the only player in the contest to finish with multiple service aces (2). Claudia Rivera notched nine digs as the Spartan libero. At the net, Mackenzie Dufresne tallied three total blocks (one solo, two assists).

Carli Pigza responded for TU with a team-best seven kills, just ahead of six by Emiah Burrowes on a .294 clip. Peyton Gash, McKayla Willey, and Martina Foster all contributed four kills apiece. Rounding out the kill column were Hayley Stull (2), Madison Adkins (1), Bailey Parker (1), and Raven Chance (1). Both Adkins and Elise Carmichael dished out 11 assists. Carly Sosnowski recorded a match-high 18 digs, while Burrowes and Carmichael were next up with five each. Four Pioneers had a hand in a pair of blocks: Burrowes, Gash, Foster, and Parker.

Tampa hit .295 as a team with 41 kills and 13 errors on 95 total attempts. Tusculum hit .160 with 30 kills, 15 errors, and 94 total attacks. The Spartans led the match in assists (36-28), service aces (4-0), and digs (41-37), but the Pioneers had the blocking edge (7-5).

Tusculum continues at the Tampa Classic on Saturday (Sept. 3) with an 11 a.m. match against Wheeling, followed by a nationally-ranked matchup versus No. 24 Colorado Mesa at 5:30 p.m.