DALLAS, N.C. --- The Tusculum University women's beach volleyball team swept pool play on day one of the South Atlantic Conference Carolinas Championship on Friday (Apr. 11) to advance to the semifinals.

No. 2 seeded Tusculum (10-12) moves on to the semifinals to face No. 5 seed Erskine at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday (Apr. 12). The winner of the match plays in the championship contest at 1:30 p.m.

Match 1: Tusculum 3, Wingate 2
The Pioneers beat the Bulldogs for the third time this season, beginning the league tournament with a victory. The match came down to the fourth flight as all five pairs played simultaneously.

Hannah Marsh and Brynn Smith backed up their all-conference honors with a 21-9, 21-17 win at No. 1.

Morgan Willis and Ryann Gallagher claimed the 3's in straight-sets by scores of 21-17, 21-14.

Kyla Oppenhuis and Landry Tea survived a three-set battle at the fourth flight to clinch the match for the Pioneers, coming away with a 21-9, 16-21, 15-4 outcome.

The losses came at No. 2 as Mia Johnson and Kassidy Mercado fell by identical 21-17, 21-17 scores, while Nyah Goss and Katie Murphy dropped a narrow 21-19, 23-21 setback at the fifth flight.

Match 2: Tusculum 4, Emmanuel 1
The Pioneers won a trio of three-set matches to down the Lions for the second time in a week.

Marsh and Smith pulled off a 13-21, 22-20, 15-7 comeback at the top flight over the recently announced conference pair of the year.

At the third flight, Willis and Gallagher survived a rally by scores of 24-22, 21-23, 15-11.

Oppenhuis and Tea were the lone pairing to finish in straight-sets, tallying a 21-15, 21-15 victory at No. 4.

Goss and Murphy came from behind to record a 13-21, 21-15, 15-10 win at the fifth slot.

The lone loss came at No. 2 in a three-set reverse sweep by Emmanuel. Johnson and Mercado dropped a 21-18, 20-22, 13-15 decision by the narrowest margin.