MOREHEAD, Ky. --- The Tusculum University beach volleyball team recorded a pair of intense 3-2 victories over Morehead State on Monday afternoon (Mar. 20), the first two over the Eagles in the young program's history.
Tusculum (5-7) returns to Bluegrass Country for the EKU Beach Tournament this weekend (Mar. 24-25). The Pioneers will face the likes of Austin Peay, Ottawa, and the hosting Colonels.
Match 1: Tusculum 3, Morehead State 2
Nos. 3-5 collected the needed wins for the Pioneers, clinched by the third flight of Hannah Marsh and Emma Johnson.
Tusculum pulled ahead early with a 2-0 lead behind wins from Charlyn Miller/Katie McLamb and Riley Rushing/Landry Tea.
At the 4s, Miller and McLamb won in straight sets by scores of 21-18, 21-10.
The fifth flight of Rushing and Tea needed a three-set comeback via an 18-21, 21-10, 15-13 victory.
Dropping to the sixth exhibition flight was Kassidy Mercado and Morgan Pacione. The duo also went to three sets but fell in a close 21-16, 19-21, 13-15 final.
Debuting at the top flight were Sofia Richmond and Sage Dunne, dropping a 21-18, 21-9 outcome.
Marsh and Johnson earned the required third win with a 21-12, 23-21 success.
Finalizing the scoring was the second flight of Kyla Oppenhuis and Jordyn Anderson, who nearly pulled off a three-set win in a 22-20, 16-21, 11-15 showing.
Match 2: Tusculum 3, Morehead State 2
The second match had even more thrills than the opener as Marsh and Johnson came from behind to net an improbable victory at No. 3 to tie the match.
Miller and McLamb once again breezed through their No. 4 matchup to give Tusculum the early lead, 21-11, 21-12.
In the sixth slot, Mercado and Pacione dropped a straight-set outing via scores of 21-9, 21-15.
Rushing and Tea tried to pull out a comeback at No. 5, but were edged in the final frame (17-21, 21-18, 11-15).
Dunne and Addison Williams were paired together for the first time this season, losing to the top flight of the Eagles 21-7, 21-9.
MSU took 1-0 (21-16) in the No. 3 flight, looking for its match-clincher. Marsh and Johnson fought for a 21-19 set two win. The Eagles seemed to have the match well-in-hand at 11-6, needing just four points to secure a split with the Pioneers. The TU pair closed the gap to 14-11, but Morehead State was one point from victory. However, Marsh and Johnson tied the score, eventually winning 19-17 in set three.
Meanwhile, Oppenhuis and Anderson had already won their first set 22-20 and were leading in set two as the match was tied at 2-all. The No. 2 flight provided the clincher with its 21-15 set two victory.
