HICKORY, N.C. --- In a rematch of last season's South Atlantic Conference semifinal upset, the Tusculum women's volleyball team avenged the defeat in front of Lenoir-Rhyne's home crowd on Saturday (Oct.1) afternoon.
The Pioneers (6-6, 6-3 SAC) won the contest by scores of 25-21, 25-17, 20-25, 25-21 to best the Bears (12-5, 8-2 SAC).
Emma Clark led Lenoir-Rhyne with 13 kills on a .524 hitting percentage and four block assists at the net. Colette Romp (13) and Ashley Hawkins (11) also reached double-figures in kills for the Bears. Mackenzie Hulsey tallied 39 assists, while Jaden Vaughn landed a match-high three service aces. Five players for LR recorded double-digit digs: Emmaleigh Allen (16), Bailey Carpenter (16), Vaughn (14), Hulsey (12), and Hawkins (11). Braelyn Faust was credited with three solo blocks as well.
Peyton Gash hit a fiery .423 with 13 kills, alongside 10 kills from Carli Pigza. Isabella Biesterfeld upped her collegiate-best to nine kills. Emiah Burrowes (9), Martina Foster (8), and Raven Chance (5) rounded out the offense. Elise Carmichael (24) and Samantha Bunch (18) shared the setting responsibilities, recording 42-of-48 assists for TU. Four Pioneers notched an ace in the contest: Bunch, Pigza, Foster, and Carmichael. Carly Sosnowski registered 29 digs, nearly doubling up any other player in the match. Burrowes scooped up 16 digs for the Tusculum defense. At the net, Chance amassed four total blocks (two solo, two assists), while Foster assisted in four blocks. Three other Pioneers participated in multiple stops: Pigza (3), Biesterfeld (3), and Gash (2).
Lenoir-Rhyne hit .131 as a team with 51 kills and 30 errors on 160 total attempts. Tusculum hit .222 with 54 kills, 19 errors, and 158 total attacks. The Pioneers led the match in assists (48-45), digs (72-70), and total blocks (11-9), while the Bears recorded one more ace (5-4).
The teams traded points from the outset until Tusculum notched five scores in a row, served up by Burrowes. Biesterfeld and Chance each recorded a kill and tag-teamed a block in the stretch. Lenoir-Rhyne made a comeback to retake the lead at 19-18 before Pigza, Biesterfeld, and Sosnowski took over. The two attackers landed a pair of kills with the libero serving behind the line. Gash helped close out the frame with a kill and a block beside Foster.
Set two was the most lop-sided of the match with Tusculum winning by eight. The first five scores went the way of the Pioneers, highlighted by four Carmichael assists and three points featuring Burrowes. TU's lead escalated to 11 (22-11) as the Bears hit a mere .064 in the frame. Pigza (2) and Gash were responsible for the final three kills of the set.
Lenoir-Rhyne fought off the Pioneers to avoid the sweep on its home floor with a third frame victory. The Bears hit .333 with 16 kills to take a set off Tusculum. Gash tied it at 17-all with a kill, but LR scored six of the next seven points to gain the advantage.
TU benefited from 10 Lenoir-Rhyne attack errors with 14 kills of its own to claim the match. Three-straight LR miscues handed Tusculum its first lead of the set at 7-6, but the Bears used consecutive kills by Hawkins to swing the edge back. The biggest blow to LR was five-straight attack errors to gift the Pioneers a 15-11 advantage. Burrowes, Chance, and Pigza each recorded a pair of kills in the waning moments of the match. Points by Gash and Biesterfeld with more LR missteps closed out the contest.
Tusculum stays on the road for one more, a Tuesday night (Oct. 4) rematch with Mars Hill. The Lions (12-2, 7-2 SAC) are coming off of a four-set loss to Lenoir-Rhyne. First serve in Chambers Gymnasium is scheduled for 6 p.m.
