WISE – In a series of close-run back and forth sets, UVA Wise lost to Tusculum 3-1 on Saturday, falling 22-25, 22-25, 26-24, 22-25. The Cavaliers finished with 60 kills, hit .265 and totaled 12 blocks, but Tusculum held edges in kills, digs and service aces.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Result: Tusculum 3, UVA Wise 1
Records: UVA Wise (); Tusculum ()
Location: Wise, VA | David J. Prior Convocation Center
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Set
The Cavaliers scored the first two points on a
Riley Brandon kill from
Olivia Amos and a Tusculum attack error, but Tusculum moved in front 7-5 before the Highland Cavaliers answered with a 5-1 stretch to lead 10-8.
Annabelle Dowell and
Maggy Sechrist combined on a block to tie the set at 7-7, Brandon followed with consecutive kills, and Sechrist put down another kill after a Pioneer point. The teams traded control through the middle of the set, with the Cavs taking a 16-15 lead on a service ace and going back ahead 17-16 on a Dowell kill before Tusculum used two Karris Oller aces and an Addison McLarty kill during a four-point push to lead 21-17. After Tusculum reached 23-18, Brandon's kill, back-to-back
Abigail Curtis aces and a block by
Skye Williams and
Braelynn Williams brought the Cavaliers within 23-22, but the Pioneers closed the set with kills by Jordan Moore and Maggie Szlachcic for a 25-22 finish.
Second Set
Tusculum broke a 3-3 tie with five straight points, including a Mackenzie Land service ace, and the Cavaliers trailed 8-3 before a service error stopped the run. The Highland Cavaliers got kills from Sechrist,
Riley Brandon and
Skye Williams as they worked back into rallies, but Tusculum pushed the margin to 18-9 on a Gracie Hibdon kill. Tusculum still led 23-15 before
Serina Petersen's kill started a six-point Cavaliers run that included two Brandon kills, two Pioneer attack errors and a
Mable James block to make it 23-21. Land's kill put Tusculum at set point, Brandon answered with another kill for the Cavs, and Karris Oller closed the set with a kill for Tusculum's 25-22 win.
Third Set
The Cavaliers led 3-1 early on a
Mia Poag kill and a block by
Serina Petersen and
Isabella Baylor, but Tusculum scored seven straight points behind three Mary Katherine Hall service aces to move in front 8-3. The Pioneers pushed the set to 20-10 on Maggie Kane's ace and a Cavaliers setting error before the Highland Cavaliers cut into the gap with kills from
Isabella Baylor and
Mable James and blocks involving
Riley Brandon,
Madilyn Pardue and James. After Tusculum still led 23-19, Poag had three straight Cavaliers kills and a Tusculum attack error tied the set at 23-23 before Poag put the Cavs ahead 24-23. Karris Oller tied it at 24-24 for Tusculum, but Poag answered with consecutive kills, both from Pardue, to finish a 26-24 set for the Cavaliers.
Fourth Set
Tusculum scored the first three points of the fourth set before the Cavaliers pulled even at 4-4 on a
Libby Nickels service ace. The set stayed tight until Tusculum moved from a 13-11 deficit to a 16-13 lead behind two Taylor Lewis aces, but the Highland Cavaliers answered after trailing 17-15 with a
Mia Poag kill, an
Abigail Curtis ace and blocks credited to Poag and
Serina Petersen during a stretch that put the Cavs ahead 20-18. After Tusculum tied it at 20-20, a
Riley Brandon kill and a Mackenzie Land attack error gave the Cavaliers a 22-20 lead. The Pioneers scored the final five points, including kills by Maggie Szlachcic, Karris Oller and Land, to take the set 25-22.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
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Riley Brandon finished with 14 kills, hit .324 and added two solo blocks for 16 points.
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Mia Poag also scored 16 points, recording 14 kills on a .333 hitting percentage with three total blocks.
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Abigail Curtis had a near double-double as she collected 26 digs, nine assists and three service aces.
- Amos finished with 27 assists and 11 digs.
- The Cavs out-hit the Pioneers .265-.244, but Tusculum held a 63-60 advantage in kills and an 81-71 lead in digs.
UP NEXT
The Highland Cavaliers will step out of conference as they travel to Banner Elk, North Carolina, to face Lees-McRae on Tuesday, Sept. 29, at 6 p.m.
