GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum University women's volleyball team will host UVA Wise for its home and South Atlantic Conference opener on Tuesday (Sept. 7) and will travel to Wingate for a Saturday (Sept. 11) afternoon matinee.
RECAPPING THE WEEK
Tusculum (3-1, 0-0 SAC) earned the two-day (Sept. 3-4) IUP Invitational championship, winning the last three matches over Shepherd, Frostburg State, and Ohio Dominican. The Pioneers' lone loss was the opener against the hosting Crimson Hawks of Indiana (Pa.).
Reigning SAC Offensive Player of the Week Raeley Matthews finished with a team-leading 55 kills over the 16 sets played. Emiah Burrowes (49), Carli Pigza (45), Peyton Gash (31), Emma Johnson (13), and Raven Chance (10) all reached double-figures in the kill column. Freshman Madison Adkins made a splash in the two-setter system with 82 assists, followed by Elise Carmichael's 73.
Carmichael had a record weekend behind the service line, collecting 18 service aces. In each of the last three matches, she landed six aces to average 1.50 per set.
Defensively, tournament MVP Carly Sosnowski dug up 89 kill attempts (5.56 per frame). Matthews and Burrowes were next up with 53 and 39 digs, respectively. Three Pioneers are credited with 10 total blocks: Chance, Emma Johnson, and Pigza.
Across the SAC, Matthews and Burrowes lead the league in total kills, while the former ranks fourth in kills per set (3.44). Adkins and Carmichael are seventh and eighth, respectively, in total assists, but seventh and ninth in their per set averages of 6.83 and 6.08. Carmichael has a commanding hold on the SAC lead in both aces and aces per set. Sosnowski's total digs are a league-best and her average is fourth. The blocking trio are in a three-way tie for 10th.
LOOKING AHEAD
UVA Wise (0-1, 0-0 SAC) was swept in a non-conference match on Friday (Sept. 3). Kelsey Green led the Cavaliers with nine kills, while seven others recorded at least one offensive strike. Zoe Avery and Rylee Waye shared setting duties, netting 16 and 12 assists, respectively. Kaylee Scarce (2) and Cassidy Farley (1) were responsible for UVA Wise's aces. Scarce and Green combined for 28 of the team's 57 digs, while Farley notched three total blocks (one solo, two assists).
Wingate (4-0, 0-0 SAC) took part in the Queens Fall Classic, including three sweeps of non-conference foes. Sophie Schaff totaled 43 kills, followed by 35 from Quin Sutphin. Shannon Kasprak dished out 127 assists for an 11.55 per set average. She also led the Bulldogs with 10 aces. Taryn Pryce collected 42 digs, just ahead of Kasprak's 38. Schaff and Sutphin are credited with 14 total blocks at the net.
Links to live stats and video for Tusculum University athletic events can be found through tusculumpioneers.com.
ATTENDANCE POLICIES
Spectator policies for SAC member institutions can be found here.
At Tusculum, face coverings are required indoors for all individuals when physical distancing cannot be guaranteed, even those who are protected. For volleyball in particular, visiting fans will not be allowed. However, a pass list will be made for the visiting team, which allows two family members per student-athlete.
At Wingate, fans must be masked when indoors at any facility and can be unmasked when outdoors, but masks are also encouraged outdoors.
