HARROGATE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum University women's volleyball team can now add conference champion to its list of accomplishments this season. The Pioneers swept the Railsplitters on Saturday (Nov. 13) afternoon to finish in a tie atop the South Atlantic Conference standings on the final day of the regular season.
The Black and Orange (19-4, 15-3 SAC) snuck past the Railsplitters (9-19, 5-13 SAC) by scores of 26-24, 25-23, 25-20.
Lincoln Memorial was led by Ketura Margaret's 11 kills as the lone Railsplitter to reach double-digits. Emily Walter notched 24 assists and landed the team's only service ace. Karen Morris registered 13 digs, while Kaley Long is credited with five total blocks (two solo, three assists).
Carli Pigza's offensive tear continued into the regular season finale as the senior headed up the Tusculum attack. She collected a match-high 14 kills on a .357 hitting percentage, followed by 11 from Emiah Burrowes. Raven Chance also hit on a .357 clip to finish with a career-high nine kills. Elise Carmichael dished out the most assists with 23, ahead of 11 by Catherine Clingan. Both she and Lydia Collins added a trio of aces to the winning cause, while Raeley Matthews rounded out the category. Carly Sosnowski scooped up a match-best 14 digs as Burrowes completed her ninth double-double of the season with 12. At the net, Emma Johnson headed up the Pioneer defense with three block assists, ahead of Bailey Parker's two.
Lincoln Memorial hit .200 as a team with 32 kills and 12 errors in 100 total attempts. Tusculum hit .175 with 46 kills, 24 errors, and 126 total attacks. The Pioneers led the match in assists (40-32), aces (7-1), and digs (50-45), while the Railsplitters had the advantage in total blocks (8-5).
Chance began her best collegiate outing with the first kill of the match. Tusculum shot out to an eight-point advantage (12-4) behind three kills by Burrowes before Lincoln Memorial fought its way back into the set. The Railsplitter took a 21-19 lead, but Collins brought the advantage back to the Pioneer side with an ace. Trading scores and facing the wrong end of a set-point, TU rallied behind kills from Chance and Pigza to edge out the home team.
Set two was incredibly similar. The Pioneers started hot and LMU climbed back into contention using a .300 hitting percentage in the frame. TU actually faced an early deficit, but four aces (two by Collins and two by Carmichael) swung the momentum. The pace slowed down for both sides after 18-14 due to a combined five service and four attack errors. Yet the Pioneers prevailed.
The final frame had the most breathing room by the end. Gaining an 8-3 advantage to start off, TU then surrendered five-straight points to LMU. The Pioneers took the lead for good at 11-10 and never looked back. Tusculum's offense had its best set of the night at .261 to close out strong, having only three attack errors over the remainder of the match.
Tusculum awaits the official seedings which the league will release later this evening. The Pioneers will host a quarterfinal match on Tuesday (Nov. 16) night at 7 p.m.
