JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. — The Tusculum University women’s beach volleyball team avenged themselves with a pair of wins over Emmanuel and Catawba on day one of the SAC weekend at Carson-Newman. They then series over Wingate and Erskine, and are the winners of four-straight heading into the final week of the regular season.
Tusculum (6-10, 4-4 SAC) continues conference action on Saturday (Apr. 5) against Wingate (9:30 a.m.) and Erskine (12:30 p.m.), hosted by Carson-Newman.
Match 1: Tusculum 3, Emmanuel 2
The Pioneers avenged an early season loss to the Lions in the weekend opener. TU had a 2-1 lead after the first wave. In the fourth flight, Kyla Oppenhuis and Landry Tea dominated 21-15, 21-18, while the No. 5 duo of Katie Murphy and Nyah Goss rallied for a three-set victory: 18-21, 21-18, 15-10. The loss came at the third slot with Morgan Willis and Ryann Gallagher by scores of 21-7, 21-16.
Brynn Smith and Hannah Marsh provided the clinching point at the second flight, winning 21-16, 21-7. Mia Johnson and Kassidy Mercado rounded out the score at the top flight with a 21-12, 21-16 setback.
Match 2: Tusculum 4, Catawba 1
The Pioneers nearly swept the rematch over the Catawba Indians in the second contest of the day. Smith and Marsh won the top flight 21-7, 22-20. At the third flight, Gallagher and Willis rebounded for a 15-21, 21-16, 15-11 victory. Oppenhuis and Tea continued their day with another straight-set outcome by scores of 21-17, 21-18. Murphy and Goss eased to a 21-13, 21-16 triumph.
TU’s lone loss was a three-set decision at the second flight. Mercado and Johnson dropped a 21-12, 18-21, 13-15 outcome.
Tusculum (8-10, 6-4 SAC) has one last date ahead of the conference championships. The Pioneers have a tri-match at Eastern Kentucky on Tuesday (Apr. 8), also featuring a rematch with Morehead State.
Match 1: Tusculum 4, Wingate 1
The Pioneers won four of five, including three in straight-sets. At the top flight, Brynn Smith and Hannah Marsh withstood a three-set battle, coming away with a 21-13, 17-21, 15-9 victory. The third flight of Ryann Gallagher and Morgan Willis eked out a 22-20 first set win, blowing away their Bulldogs opposites with a 21-12 set two. Kyla Oppenhuis and Landry Tea allowed just 15 points to the No. 4 pair of Wingate, easing to a 21-7, 21-8. The No. 5 pair of Katie Murphy and Nyah Goss doubled up the Bulldogs by scores of 21-11, 21-10. The lone loss for TU came at the second flight. Mia Johnson and Kassidy Mercado dropped a 21-12, 21-15 decision.
Match 2: Tusculum 4, Erskine 1
All five flights needed just two sets to determine a winner. Marsh/Willis, Goss/Murphy, and Oppenhuis/Tea went 4-0 on the weekend. Both the combination of Marsh/Smith and Gallagher/Willis recorded 21-15, 21-15 victories at the first and third flights. At the fourth flight, Oppenhuis and Tea won a 21-15, 21-13 showing. Murphy and Goss continued their efficient day with a 21-11, 21-14 outcome. The second flight of Johnson and Mercado fell to the Flying Fleet 21-12, 21-7.
