GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum University women's beach volleyball team opened up the South Atlantic Conference Carolinas slate by splitting with its day one opponents: Emmanuel and Erskine. The Pioneers are hosting the weekend event at Hardin Park.

Tusculum (4-3, 1-1 SAC) rounds out its duties as host for the first SAC weekend of 2026, by taking on Wingate (9 a.m.) and Catawba (2:30 p.m.) on Saturday (Mar. 7).

Match 1: Tusculum 5, Emmanuel 0
The Pioneers started the weekend with a shutout of the Lions, including three sweeps.

Hannah Marsh and Sofia Vega Barrantes got TU on the board with a quick 21-13, 21-6 victory at the second flight. 

Soon after, the 5's of Jordyn Anderson and Ryann Gallagher recorded a 21-11, 21-10 showing.

Siri Aasgard and Ally Doty continued their undefeated start with a 21-15, 24-22 result at No. 4.

In the third flight, Cooper George and Sylvia Liszewski battled back for the reverse sweep by scores of 20-22, 21-13, 15-10.

Brynn Smith and Dasha Nikolaeva held on in their third set overtime to collect the final point of the match as the top flight: 21-17, 17-21, 16-14.

Match 2: Erskine 3, Tusculum 2
The Flying Fleet made a third comeback in the No. 2 flight to edge out the Pioneers and collect the conference victory. Four of the five flights went to a decisive third set.

Marsh and Vega Barrantes got the scoring started with a 21-16, 21-14 win at the top flight, the lone sweep of the match.

Anderson and Gallagher were reverse swept by their No. 5 opposites by scores of 12-21, 21-18, 15-8.

George and Liszewski dropped a narrow 21-17, 13-21, 15-13 decision at the No. 3 slot.

Aasgard and Doty tied the match at 2-all with a 21-15, 15-21, 15-10 victory.

The match came down to the No. 2 flight. Erskine won the first set 21-17 before Smith and Nikolaeva tied it with a 21-19 set two win. TU was up 12-10 before the Flying Fleet rattled off five-straight points, including three consecutive aces to clinch the match.