GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum University women's volleyball team has now won five of its last six matches after defending Pioneer Arena against Limestone on Tuesday night (Sept. 27).
The Black and Orange (5-6, 5-3 SAC) won the contest by scores of 25-16, 25-22, 25-17 to subdue the Saints (6-4, 3-4 SAC).
Limestone was led by Mia McMillen and Tatum Riddle with nine kills apiece. Malina Harris and Paige Gardella each dished out double-digit assists with 15 and 11, respectively. Libero Gabby Wessels scooped up a match-high 15 digs. Wessels and McMillian landed the two service aces for the Saints. Both Rothani Allen and Leilani Wilcox Nanai are credited with two total blocks.
Emiah Burrowes bounced back with a 13 kill performance, firing on a .333 hitting percentage. Raven Chance had her best outing of the season, tallying nine kills at a .615 clip with five total blocks (two solo, three assists). Martina Foster (8), Carli Pigza (6), Isabella Biesterfeld (4), and Peyton Gash (3) rounded out the scoring. Elise Carmichael (24) and Samantha Bunch (14) tag-teamed setting duties, netting 38 assists. Carmichael led the Pioneers with two aces, while Bunch and Amiranee Au collected one apiece. Pigza notched a team-best 10 digs, her fourth double-digit dig outing of the season. Bunch and Carly Sosnowski added nine digs, just ahead of eight by Burrowes. Following Chance, Foster finished with three total blocks, joined by a pair from both Burrowes and Pigza.
Limestone hit .074 as a team with 33 kills and 24 errors on 122 total attempts. Tusculum hit 273 with 43 kills, 13 errors, and 110 total attacks. The Pioneers led the Saints in assists (43-30), service aces (4-2), digs (57-45), and total blocks (8-4).
The Pioneers hit a fiery .382 to open the contest, with three blocks at the net. TU had to overcome a 3-0 deficit to start the match, rebounding for a 4-all tie, before taking the lead for good at 15-14. Burrowes fueled a four-point spurt to cause the separation, tallying three kills and assisting in a block with Chance. Tusculum forced the Saints' second timeout at 21-15, rounding out the frame with four of the final five scores. Limestone had three unforced errors, while Chance returned an attack back to the Saints for a solo block in the set's closing moments.
Set two was a little bit closer of a finish, featuring highs of eight ties and four lead changes. TU claimed the first point on an attack error by the Saints before Limestone rattled off four-straight scores. The Pioneers slowly crept back within striking distance, eventually taking a 15-12 edge. The visitors took a timeout, proceeding to win 7-of-8 rallies. TU called a pause to halt the spurt. Pigza and Chance notched a block out of the timeout. Kills by Foster and Burrowes tied the set and Au's ace caused Limestone to take its final timeout down 23-21. The Saints fought off a set point, but an unforced attack error clinched the 2-0 match lead for the home team.
Limestone hit -.027 in the deciding third set, adding six service miscues, while eased the Pioneers' sweep. Carmichael started out with an ace, but the teams traded points until a five-point run put Tusculum ahead for good. A four-point spurt, including back-to-back kills by Gash, extended the home advantage. The Saints fought back to within three, however Pigza and Biesterfeld struck, while Biesterfeld and Foster stuffed. The final two Tusculum points were courtesy of Limestone attack errors.
Tusculum has just one match over the weekend, a Saturday afternoon date at Lenoir-Rhyne. The Bears (11-4, 7-1 SAC) and Pioneers have a 2 p.m. start scheduled in Shuford Arena.
