GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- For the first time in program history, the Tusculum University women's volleyball team has swept the regular season meetings against Wingate, following a four-set victory on Saturday (Oct. 16) afternoon. Adding to the wonder, libero Carly Sosnowski notched her 1,000th career dig.
The Black and Orange (15-2, 11-1 SAC) won the match by scores of 25-17, 18-25, 25-15, 25-21 to humble the Bulldogs (13-3, 9-3 SAC). This was the first time since 2006 that Tusculum beat Wingate in Greeneville.
Sophie Schaff led Wingate with 16 kills on a .400 hitting percentage, doubling the next closest Bulldog with eight kills (Maggie Young). Shannon Kasprak dished out a match-high 34 assists, while she and three of her teammates recorded a service ace. Kasprak also led the visitors with 12 digs to complete her double-double. Schaff is credited with seven total blocks in the match (one solo, six assists).
Kills for Tusculum were spread out amongst the roster, headed up by 11 from Carli Pigza. Also adding to the offensive category were Raeley Matthews (9), Emiah Burrowes (8), Peyton Gash (7), Emma Johnson (4), and Raven Chance (3), who went 3-for-3 on her swings. Lydia Collins, Bailey Parker, and Elise Carmichael rounded out the column with one kill apiece. Carmichael handed out a team-high 22 assists, while Burrowes and Johnson landed a pair of aces. Abbie Holt, Matthews, Carmichael, and Catherine Clingan collected an ace as well.
Defensively, Sosnowski used her match-high 22 digs to surpass 1,000 for collegiate career. Burrowes and Matthews nearly reached double-digit digs with nine each. Burrowes tied her career-high five total blocks (five assists), which was set earlier this season. Johnson and Collins are credited with three block assists apiece.
Wingate hit .107 as a team (the program's lowest since 2019) with 45 kills and 29 errors in 149 total attempts. Tusculum hit .227 with 45 kills, 16 errors, and 128 total attacks. The Pioneers led the match in assists (42-41), digs (61-57), and aces (8-4), while the Bulldogs totaled one more block (9-8).
Tusculum dropped the first point of the match, but managed to hold Wingate to an even hitting percentage in the opening set. The Bulldogs got out to a 9-7 advantage but a 17-6 stretch by the Pioneers swung the momentum to TU. The set win was enabled by 17 unforced errors from Wingate, including 11 on the attack.
The Bulldogs evened the match with a set two win, spurred on by a 6-0 start. The lead stretched to nine (18-9) before TU attempted a comeback. Tusculum garnered the following five tallies, aided by Wingate miscues and back-to-back tag-team blocks by Collins and Burrowes. Wingate went on its own run to close out the set.
Wingate used blocks to collect two of the first three points on the third frame. Tusculum responded in kind with consecutive stuffs, both featuring Johnson. The Bulldogs looked like they were rolling until the 10-8 mark when they hit a wall. Once again, Johnson played a key role by starting the climb with a kill and a pair of aces. Ultimately, the Pioneers earned 17 of the remaining 22 points scored to take a 2-1 match lead. Burrowes put the exclamation mark on the win with consecutive aces to clinch.
The match seemingly looked like a fifth set was imminent as the Bulldogs won the opening three points and led 16-8. However, Tusculum can never be counted out. An 8-1 rally forced Wingate to call a timeout. TU took the 19-18 advantage on a kill by Gash (assisted by Madison Adkins). Tusculum made a push that could not be stopped by the Bulldogs. Gash and Adkins sealed the deal as Pioneer Arena thundered.
Tusculum is set to make a Tuesday (Oct. 19) night trip up to Virginia, facing the Cavaliers of UVA Wise at 7 p.m.
