ANDERSON, S.C. – Behind their third-highest highest percentage of the season, the third-seeded Trojans swept No. 6 seed Tusculum, 3-0 (25-21, 25-16, 25-8) in the quarterfinals of the 2019 South Atlantic Conference Volleyball Championship, Tuesday night at the Abney Athletic Center.
Anderson (22-6) avenged a three-set loss to the Pioneers suffered just four days ago and advanced to meet No. 2 seed Queens, Friday night in Charlotte, N.C. Tusculum saw its season come to an end with a 15-14 overall record.
"We played pretty well tonight offensively but it was our serve and pass game coupled with a better defensive effort that really made the difference," said Anderson head coach Todd Hay. "Tusculum served us off the court last Friday and I was glad to see our players' extra work on passing these past two days pay off. We knew we had our work cut out for us tonight and I'm proud of how we responded. Hopefully we can carry this momentum over into the semifinals on Friday."
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Senior middle blocker Hailee Wilhelm shared match-high honors with 12 kills on the night on the strength of a .688 hitting percentage. The Columbus, Ohio native also recorded a pair of block assists. Sophomore Maya Learmonth added nine kills and two block assists, with sophomore middle blocker Noelle Knutsen tallying eight kills on a .545 hitting percentage. She also notched two block assists. Junior Regan Duty and freshman Taylor Weber each chipped in seven kills apiece, with Weber tallying seven digs.
Senior setter Emily Conlin handed out 35 assists, while recording eight digs and three service aces. Sophomore Meghan DeVaux came up with 11 digs and three aces on the night.
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Set
Wilhelm and Weber combined for nine kills in the opening frame, with AU posting a .345 hitting percentage. The set also featured 10 ties and neither team was able to build more than a four-point advantage throughout.
Tusculum broke an 8-8 deadlock – the third of the night – with three straight points, before AU countered with three consecutive points of its own to again even the score.
Later, the Pioneers again pushed out to a pair of three-point leads, but each time the Trojans reeled them back in. With Tusculum holding a 20-17 advantage and threatening to open an even bigger lead, Knutsen and Wilhelm knocked down back-to-back kills and DeVaux followed with her second ace of the night to even the score at 20 apiece.
With the score deadlocked and DeVaux serving, Learmonth and Wilhelm accounted for the next three points and the Trojans held off Tusculum for the four-point win.
Second Set
The Trojans were nearly as hot in the second frame, as the Black and Gold notched a .323 hitting percentage, while Duty and Knutsen combined for nine kills.
AU bolted to a quick 6-1 lead out of the gate and never trailed. The Pioneers climbed to within three, at 13-10, but the Trojans answered with a decisive 10-4 outburst to put the frame out of reach.
Third Set
AU again jumped out to an early lead, before the Pioneers crept back within just three, at 10-7, before the Trojans erupted on a massive 15-1 scoring outburst to close out the set behind a red-hot .455 hitting percentage.
ANDERSON STAT OF THE NIGHT
The Trojans posted a .366 hitting percentage on the night, while holding Tusculum to a .075 hitting accuracy – the second-lowest of the season for an opponent.
NOTABLES
• The Trojans are making their eighth consecutive appearance – and ninth overall - in the SAC Volleyball Championship.
• Anderson improved to 7-8 in nine appearances in the SAC Volleyball Championship.
• Tusculum owns a 16-13 advantage in the overall series that dates back to the 1997 season.
• Hailee Wilhelm's .688 hitting percentage was the second-highest in school history.
UP NEXT
Anderson advances to meet second-seeded Queens in the tournament semifinals, Friday night in Charlotte, N.C. First-serve versus the Royals is slated for 6:30 p.m. at the Levine Center.
SAC TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Tuesday, Nov. 19 (at highest seeds)
Game 1: #1 Wingate 3, #8 Lincoln Memorial 0
Game 2: #4 Carson-Newman 3, #5 Mars Hill 0
Game 3: #2 Queens 3, #7 Lenoir-Rhyne, 0
Game 4: #3 Anderson 3, #6 Tusculum 0
Friday, Nov. 22 (at Queens University of Charlotte)
Game 5: #1 Wingate vs. #4 Carson-Newman, 4:00pm
Game 6: #2 Queens vs. #3 Anderson, 6:30pm
Saturday, Nov. 23 (at Queens University of Charlotte)
Game 7: winner game 5 vs. winner game 6, 2:00pm
SAC TOURNAMENT INDIVIDUAL DAILY TICKETS:
Semifinals: (Friday, Nov. 22; Charlotte, N.C.) Adult - $ 10.00; Youth (12 and under)/Senior (60+) Active or Retired Military - $6.00; College Students with college ID - $ 2.00
Finals: Adult - (Saturday, Nov. 23; Charlotte, N.C.) $ 8.00; Youth (12 and under)/Senior (60+) Active or Retired Military - $5.00; College Students with college ID - $ 2.00
2019 SAC Volleyball Championship Bracket (pdf)
CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW THE 2019 SAC VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
