WISE, Va. --- The Tusculum University women's volleyball team needed less than an hour to pick a sweep over UVA Wise on Tuesday (Oct. 19) night. The Pioneers have not dropped a set to the Cavaliers since 1997, when the Virginia institution was known as Clinch Valley.
The Black and Orange (16-2, 12-1 SAC) won the match by scores of 25-6, 25-16, 25-16 to sweep the Cavaliers (4-16, 0-13 SAC). TU now leads the all-time series 28-1, which began in 1992.
UVA Wise was led by a pair of four-kill outings by Morgan Blevins and Adison Minor. Cassidy Farley tallied three. Rylee Waye dished out eight assists, followed by Kristen McKeehan's four. Minor led the dig category with nine, just ahead of eight by Kaylee Scarce. Kelsey Green assisted in both of the Cavaliers' blocks.
Emiah Burrowes collected a match-high 11 kills on a .500 hitting percentage. Carli Pigza also averaged .500 going 8-for-16 on her swings. Raeley Matthews did not record an attack error either with eight kills on a .348 clip. Elise Carmichael handed out 17 assists, while Madison Adkins notched 14. Matthews landed four service aces, followed by Carly Sosnowski (3), Carmichael (2), and Burrowes (1).
Defensively, Sosnowski scooped up a match-best 16 digs, just ahead of Burrowes and Matthews with 11 each. Emma Johnson is credited with four total blocks in the match (one solo, three assists), the second-most of her career. Three Pioneers collected a pair of blocks: Peyton Gash, Pigza, and Matthews.
Of note, Carmichael has landed at least one ace in 17-straight matches and Burrowes earned her sixth double-double of the season.
UVA Wise hit -.093 as a team with 16 kills and 25 errors in 97 total attempts. Tusculum hit .301 with 36 kills, eight errors, and 93 total attacks. The Pioneers led the Cavaliers in assists (35-14), digs (52-44), aces (10-0), and total blocks (7-2). TU did not relent a service ace for the first time this season.
Tusculum came out swinging in the opening frame, firing on a .455 clip with 11 kills to only a single error. Meanwhile, UVA Wise had its worst set of the match, averaging -.269. Burrowes was a perfect 5-for-5 on her attempts, while Matthews was 3-for-5. The Pioneers were aided by four aces and five blocks. TU had scoring runs of five, six, and eight to clinch a 25-6 set win.
The Pioneers continued its scoring barrage with an ace, Pigza kill, and a tag-team block by Raven Chance and Matthews to begin the second frame. A 5-0 spurt by TU forced a Cavalier timeout at 12-4. Tusculum racked up 17 digs and three aces, but was graced with nine free points on UVA Wise attack errors. Burrowes, Pigza, and Matthews all remained errorless through two sets.
UVA Wise had its best offensive production (-.027) in the final set, while Tusculum had its worst (.225). However, TU would complete the sweep. Down 2-0 in the frame, the Pioneers rattled off four scores in a row, aided by a pair of Matthews aces. The Cavaliers responded to tie the set at 6-all before TU poured on the points. Sydney Byrd came in off the bench to record one of the final kills of the night.
Tusculum has a 10-day break from competition. The Pioneers will next host Limestone for Senior Night on October 29 at 7 p.m., which will honor Lydia Collins, Catherine Clingan, Carli Pigza, Carly Sosnowski, and Sydney Byrd.
