MUNCIE, Ind. --- The Tusculum men's volleyball team dropped its first matchup of the weekend to No. 13 Ball State on Friday (Jan. 12) night. Deklan Wingo recorded the Pioneers' first double-double of the 2024 campaign.

The Pioneers (0-2) fell to the ranked Cardinals (5-2) by scores of 16-25, 25-19, 22-25, 15-25.

Ball State was led by Nathan Goh's 11 kills on a .476 hitting percentage. Peter Zurawski dished out 38 assists, with Goh landing two of the Cardinals' service aces. Both Zurawski and Keau Thompson tallied nine digs apiece. Rodney Wallace was credited with five total blocks across the match.

Wingo's double-double consisted of 11 kills and a match-best 11 digs. Morgan Makovec racked up 11 kills on a .444 clip, as Colby Landry (8), Kevin Blankenship (6), Jaden Bramhall (3), and Tristan Blake (2) rounded out the offensive scoring. Blake distributed 36 assists and landed both Pioneer aces. The setter has recorded every ace for Tusculum through the two matches. Taylor West and Blake finished with the second-most digs for TU with seven. Bramhall was credited with three total blocks (one solo, two assists) on the evening.

Ball State hit .203 as a team with 47 kills and 23 errors on 118 total attempts. Tusculum hit .155 with 41 kills, 23 errors, and 116 total attacks. The Cardinals led the Pioneers in assists (44-40), service aces (5-2), digs (41-38), and total blocks (7.5-6).

Tusculum returns for round two in Worthen Arena on Saturday (Jan. 13). First serve against the ranked Cardinals is scheduled for 6 p.m.