LAURINBURG, N.C. --- The Tusculum University beach volleyball team got the 2022 season off to a perfect start, coming out victorious in its three matches on day one at St. Andrews.

The Pioneers (3-0) continue their stay in North Carolina on Saturday (Feb. 12) for a pair of rematches against the hosting Knights and in-state foe Lincoln Memorial.

Head coach Jason Morris assembled two teams for the event. The No. 1 team stretched its legs against LaGrange, while the No. 2 squad competed against LMU and St. Andrews.

Match 1: Tusculum 3, Lincoln Memorial 2
The Pioneers kicked off their latest campaign with a familiar opponent from up the road in Harrogate. TU dropped the top-flight, but swept the remaining matchups.

Diana Bierwagen teamed up with Arizona Webb at No. 1 and lost a tightly-contested 21-17, 21-18 scrum.

At the 2's, newcomer Morgan Pacione was paired with Destiny Ramsey to fall 8-21, 13-21.

The Emily Venable and Kassidy Mercado partnership edged out a victory in the third flight, 21-15, 21-19.

A freshmen duo of Taylor Sykes and Mary Ashburn are now 1-0 for Tusculum as they took down Lincoln Memorial 21-12, 21-15 in flight four.

Also in their collegiate debuts, Mia Johnson and Kylie Kincaid eased by their Railsplitter counterparts 21-6, 21-8.

Match 2: Tusculum 5, LaGrange 0
With only six on the roster, the first-year Panthers were automatically at a 2-0 disadvantage, forfeiting the fourth and fifth flights.

Olivia O'Keefe and Charlyn Miller carried over their success from last season to tally a 21-5, 21-9 score.

Haley Davis and Emma Johnson skated to a 21-2, 21-1 win at No. 2, now sitting just two victories shy of becoming the winningest pair in program history.

Britney Shawel teamed up with freshman Landry Tea and found a good thing, earning a 21-12, 21-10 triumph to complete the sweep.

Match 3: Tusculum 5, St. Andrews 0
The nightcap against the host was the most tightly-contested of the day, with three sets needing overtime.

Bierwagen and Webb rebounded from their loss in the opener to take down their challengers 25-23, 21-12.

Pacione and Ramsey found success in the second flight to collect a 25-23, 21-8 victory.

Venable and Mercado eked out a second win by the narrowest of margins, 21-19, 21-18.

Jules Aiken was teamed with Sykes for her first collegiate action, a win, 21-12, 21-17.

The Johnson and Kincaid pairing triumphed for the second time on the day, 22-20, 21-14.