GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum University women's volleyball team excelled in its home and South Atlantic Conference opener, downing UVA Wise in straight sets. The victory extends the Pioneers' winning streak to four matches.
The Black and Orange (4-1, 1-0 SAC) won the match by scores of 25-16, 25-15, 25-12 over the Cavaliers (0-2, 0-1 SAC).
Adison Minor landed four kills to lead UVA Wise, followed by Cassidy Farley, Anna Whited, and Kelsey Green with a pair. Rylee Waye dished out seven of the team's 13 assists, while Kaylee Scarce (2) and Green are responsible for the Cavaliers' service aces. Libero Matelyn Gibson dug up seven attempts, just ahead of Waye's five. Farley had her hands in every block with three solo and three assists.
Carli Pigza fired on a .438 clip to collect a match-high nine kills, followed closely by eight from Raeley Matthews. Emma Johnson (6), Emiah Burrowes (5), Raven Chance (3), and Peyton Gash (2) rounded out the scoring column for the Pioneers. Elise Carmichael and Madison Adkins tag-teamed setting duties to record 18 and 12 assists, respectively. Carmichael also notched half of TU aces with five, running up her season total to 23. Burrowes (3) and Carly Sosnowski (2) scored the remaining points from the line.
Defensively, Sosnowski finished with a match-high nine digs. Burrowes was next up with five. Chance was a force at the net and is credited with six total blocks (two solo, four assists), just shy of her collegiate-best. Pigza also had a strong showing with a pair of block assists.
UVA Wise hit -.121 as a team with 14 kills and 22 errors in 66 total attempts. Tusculum hit an efficient .234 with 33 kills, 15 errors and 77 total attacks. The Pioneers led the Cavaliers in assists (32-13), aces (10-3), digs (25-24), and total blocks (7-6).
Tusculum held UVA Wise to only three kills in the opening frame, with two coming from Minor and one from Scarce. TU started strong, winning the match's first five points, including two aces from Carmichael. The Cavaliers closed the margin to one (10-11) before the Pioneers exploded for six-straight scores. Scarce tallied three consecutive points of her own (two aces and one kill), but Burrowes closed out the set with an ace of her own.
The Pioneers jumped out a 3-0 lead, including back-to-back kills from Burrowes. TU went on several spurts to stretch the advantage to 19-10. UVA Wise held on for a few points before Matthews and Gash took over to clinch the set 25-15.
Set three was all Tusculum. Once again, the Cavaliers managed just three kills in the frame, averaging a -.278 hitting clip. Meanwhile, the Pioneers hit .375 on the other side of the net. Pigza came out firing to garner the set's first two points. A Green ace pulled the frame within one for the Cavaliers. But an eight-point run by Tusculum put the set and, ultimately, the match out of UVA Wise's reach. A trio of unforced errors by the Cavaliers tied the bow on the Pioneers' sweep.
Tusculum hits the road to face Wingate for a Saturday (Sept. 11) afternoon showdown, with first serve set for 2:00 p.m.
