GREENEVILLE, Tenn. — The Tusculum University women’s volleyball team dropped both matches of the Pioneer Invitational on Friday (Sept. 12).
The Black and Orange (2-5, 0-1 SAC) resumes conference play on Tuesday (Sept. 16) by hosting Emory & Henry at 6 p.m.
Match 1: Montevallo 3, Tusculum 1
The Pioneers started off the tri-match with a four-set loss to the Falcons (1-4) by scores of 25-21, 18-25, 24-26, 17-25.
Danielle Greene tallied 19 kills on a .621 hitting percentage to lead the Montevallo attack. Blakeley Robbins (25) and Lily Erdal (16) combined for 41 assists, as Robbins also landed three service aces. Libero Ava Wind finished with a match-high 16 digs, while Ellise Hanson contributed nine block assists.
Seven Pioneers recorded multiple kills in the loss: Mackenzie Land (9), Adreana Lee (8), Jaida Alvin (5), Karris Oller (5), Jordyn Roderick (4), Grace VanZwieten (3), and Breana Pelbath (2). The setting duo of Victoria Church (15) and Solene Roussel (14) combined for 29 assists. Behind the line, Alvin, Church, and Roussel landed the TU aces. Land scooped up a career-best 12 digs, while Alvin had a hand in four blocks (one solo, three assists).
Montevallo finished the match with a .206 hitting percentage with 55 kills and 27 attack errors in 136 total attempts. Tusculum totaled 36 kills, 27 errors, and 126 swings for a .071 hitting clip. The Falcons led the Pioneers in assists (47-31), service aces (9-3), and total blocks (13-9), while the teams tied with 47 digs each.
Match 2: Southern Wesleyan 3, Tusculum 2
TU finished out the day with a five-set loss to the Warriors (2-2): 25-10, 25-15, 22-25, 18-25, 8-15.
Ainsley Stovall recorded 13 kills, followed by 10 kills from both Briley Wolff and Michaela Andress for SWU. Amiyah Spann dished out 27 assists, while Sarah Mitchell and Alexxis Wader each landed two aces. Libero Faith Paxton scooped up 30 digs in the victory. At the net, Wolff, Andress, and Mitchell were all credited with two total blocks.
Breana Pelbath led all Pioneers with 13 kills on a .367 clip, just ahead of Jaida Alvin (12), Karris Oller (11), Adreana Lee (10), and Mackenzie Land (9). Victoria Church (3) and Grace VanZwieten (1) rounded out the scoring. Church notched a career-best 48 assists, while Maggie Kane landed three aces in a collegiate-high effort. Defensively, Land added 11 digs and Oller accounted for five total blocks (one solo, four assists) in a personal-best outing.
Southern Wesleyan finished the contest with a .145 hitting percentage with 50 kills and 29 attack errors in 145 total attempts. Tusculum totaled 59 kills, 25 errors, and 164 swings for a .207 hitting clip. The Pioneers led the match in assists (56-49) and total blocks (9-5), while the Warriors recorded more digs (69-60). The teams tied with six aces apiece.
