GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum University men's volleyball team goes on the road for three consecutive matches this week. The Pioneers start with familiar foe Belmont Abbey on Wednesday (Mar. 17) and then two straight Independent Volleyball Association (IVA) matches: Lincoln Memorial (Mar. 19) and Alderson Broaddus (Mar. 21).

RECAPPING THE WEEK
Tusculum (1-8, 0-3 IVA) hosted the Emmanuel (Ga.) College Lions on Wednesday (Mar. 10). The Pioneers kept every set close, but ultimately fell 3-1.

Dane Loup and Hunter Walck racked up 12 and 11 kills, respectively, to head up the Pioneer attack. Walck fired at an efficient .333 rate. Shaun Kampshoff (7), Shaphar Grant (6), and Caleb Slater (4) were responsible for the team's remaining offense. Lucas Blanco led the way with 28 assists, while Reese DeElena stepped in for six. Walck aided the cause with four service aces, ahead of Kampshoff's pair and DeElena's collegiate first. Taylor Phillips was the only Pioneer to reach double-digit digs, collecting 11. A trio tied with six digs apiece: Loup, Blanco, and Walck. The home team is credited with six solo blocks, comprised of three by Slater, two from Grant, and Kampshoff rounding things out with one.

In the national rankings, Tusculum is 11th in the NCAA in aces per set (1.47).

Individually, Kampshoff is ranked eighth in aces per set (.577) and 15th in attacks per set (8.77).

LOOKING AHEAD
Belmont Abbey (7-5) kicks off its busy week with the Pioneers. TU transfer Matteo Miselli leads the Crusaders with 181 kills (nearly four per set), followed by Andrew Kohut. Brennan Davis is averaging 9.87 assists per set (10th nationally) for a total of 464 thus far. Miselli is dominating the service ace category with 18, 10 more than the next two Crusaders. Defensively, Davis (89), Miselli (60), and Kohut (57) also have the most digs for Belmont Abbey. Brian Long has been the most effective blocker, totaling 32 (three solo, 29 assists), just ahead of William Morris' 26 (six solo, 20 assists).

Lincoln Memorial (6-8, 2-1 IVA) starts the week with King on Tuesday before Tusculum invades Friday (Mar. 19) afternoon. Justin Sharfenaker has collected 157 kills thus far, while Pedro Carvalho has totaled 95 kills (third on the team) on a .392 average, 13th nationally. AJ Risavy has dished out 323 assists for a 9.23 assist per set rate. Sharfenaker is the lone Railsplitter with double-digit aces (12). On the defensive side, Attia Soliman has notched 70 digs, while Dawson Walker's 51 total blocks (six solo, 45 assists) leads the way and Carvalho is just behind with 49 total (nine solo, 40 assists). Walker's 1.159 blocks per set pace is good for eighth in the country.

Alderson Broaddus (2-4, 0-1 IVA) has not played since February 20, but is scheduled to break its month-long hiatus this weekend. The Battlers' primary offensive production has been Gannon Chinen with 66 kills, while Che' Arbo is responsible for 191 of the team's 213 assists. Arbo leads the ace column with four and Joe Mercado Samaniego has collected 44 digs. At the net, Jaelin Gray (18) and Andrew Nielsen (16) have totaled 34 blocks.

Links to live stats and video for Tusculum University athletic events can be found through tusculumpioneers.com.

ATTENDANCE POLICIES
Fans of visiting teams are not permitted at any of the three campuses that men's volleyball will be playing at this week.