SALISBURY, N.C. – The Catawba women's volleyball team picked up its third straight victory with an impressive 3-1 win over Tusculum in front of an energetic Pink Out crowd at Goodman Arena on Friday night as the program honored Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Catawba (12-6, 8-6 SAC) spoiled Tusculum's (12-6, 9-5 SAC) seven-match winning streak by dominating the serve-receive category. The blue and white tallied 10 aces with just five service errors while the Pioneers recorded eight aces and 14 errors. The Catawba Indians totaled 48 kills on a .155 hitting percentage as Tusculum posted 41 on a .142 percentage.
Junior setters Sydney McCutcheon and Camden Bizot both delivered well-rounded performances. McCutcheon registered 22 assists, eight digs and three aces while Bizot similarly generated 16 assists, eight digs and three aces.
Riley Hill continued her strong defensive play with 24 digs while adding three assists and an ace. Lillie Kate Rogers led the offensive attack, landing 13 kills, an ace and an assist with 14 digs defensively. Maddie Henning was ultra efficient, providing seven kills on a .462 attacking percentage, also notching three blocks and two aces. Alani Kincaid contributed nine kills, and Rebekah Ayers blocked four attacks.
After Lauren Patrick and Rebekah Ayers combined for a block, the hosts led the first set 10-8, but the streaking Pioneers would take a 24-14 advantage after a strong series of attacks. Catawba, however, was able to gain momentum by going on a 5-0 run highlighted by Bizot connecting with Rogers for two kills before Tusculum took the first frame 25-19.
The hosts came out to a 7-2 lead after four different Catawba Indians scored to start the second. Kincaid delivered four kills and a block and Bizot served back-to-back aces as the blue and white gained a large 18-9 advantage. Catawba would go on to cruise to a 25-16 second-set victory to even the match after holding the Pioneers to a 0.0 hitting percentage.
McCutcheon began the third frame with an ace as the South Atlantic Conference foes traded scoring until Kincaid notched another kill to make it 7-6 Catawba. The blue and white would not give up the lead the rest of the way and broke things open after Rogers once again delivered consecutive kills and an ace. Rogers would add another point from Bizot, and Patrick would score from McCutcheon before Tusculum's final attack would land out of bounds, sealing a 25-18 third set and 2-1 match lead in favor of Catawba.
Feeling the energy from the crowd, Henning would place back-to-back aces before McCutcheon did the same, gaining a 13-6 fourth stanza advantage. The quality opponent would not go down without a fight, evening the score at 21 apiece. Henning fired a strike through the middle to score before Maggie Ayers heroically connected with a deflected block attempt for a kill that sent Goodman Arena into a frenzy, forcing Tusculum to take its final timeout. Bizot came out of the break and composedly registered an ace. The Pioneers would regain the serve after scoring, but Rebekah Ayers would deliver the final touches to a signature SAC victory by uncorking a kill to take the final set 25-22 and the match 3-1.
The win marks Catawba's third straight, fourth in its last five, and a season sweep over Tusculum, improving its record to 12-6 and 8-6 in a competitive South Atlantic Conference playoff race.
The Catawba Indians return to Goodman Arena on Saturday, October 17th, at 2 p.m. to host Mars Hill in conference action.
Hear from Head Coach Brenn Ferguson and junior setters Camden Bizot and Sydney McCutcheon after the impressive victory:
