DUE WEST, S.C. --- The Tusculum men's volleyball team defeated Erskine on Friday (Jan. 17) night, earning head coach Alberto Chiaparini his first win. TU also finished with 13 team blocks, setting a new three-set program record and third-most overall.
The Pioneers (1-3) downed the Flying Fleet (1-2) by scores of 25-13, 25-21, 25-21.
Pablo Zamar did it all for Erskine, leading the team with 10 kills, one service ace, six digs, and three block assists. Meanwhile, Gino Briglio dished out 24 assists.
For Tusculum, Deklan Wingo became the first Pioneer to reach double-digit kills this season with 11, firing on a .333 hitting percentage. Joel Dubinsky (7), Morgan Makovec (5), Donovan Nye (3), and Caleb Hammann (2) provided the remaining offense. Makovec was errorless in nine tries, resulting in a .556 clip. Kevin Blankenship distributed 21 assists, as Makovec landed all five TU aces, which ties the three-set record. Wingo (6) and Taylor West (4) led the back row defense in digs. Blankenship set a new career-high with seven block assists (second-most in a three-setter in program history), while Makovec and Hammann were credited with five apiece.
Erskine hit .054 as a team with 28 kills and 24 errors on 74 total attempts. Tusculum hit a season-best .254 with 28 kills, 10 errors, and 71 total attacks. The Flying Fleet led the match in digs (28-17), while the Pioneers tallied more service aces (5-1) and total blocks (13-4). The teams tied with 24 assists each.
Tusculum started out the match strong, setting the tone for the night. The Pioneers hit .300 while holding Erskine to -.136 as part of a nine-tie, one-lead change frame. Wingo went an errorless 5-for-7 and Makovec tallied four of his aces. TU notched over seven blocks in the opening set with Hammann involved in four. The teams went back and forth until Tusculum broke through after the 9-9 tie. The Pioneers closed out the frame on a 16-4 spurt, highlighted by a 9-0 run with Makovec behind the line.
TU led the second set from straight to finish. Neither team hit over .100 but the Pioneers pulled out the 2-0 match advantage. Dubinsky and Wingo each added three kills as Makovec was 2-for-3 in his attempts. The teams stayed within three points until a Wingo swing extended the edge at 10-6. Tusculum maintained the lead until Erskine made a 5-1 run to put a scare in the Pioneers (21-20). Kills by Makovec and Dubinsky clinched the frame at the end.
The third set only saw two ties and one lead change as Tusculum hit .417 with 12 kills. TU's defense recorded 3.5 blocks, aided by three block assists by both Makovec and Blankenship. Dubinsky also went 3-for-5. Erskine took the first two points of the frame before the Pioneers rallied with Nye behind the line. However, down 17-12, the Flying Fleet made a 4-0 run to put pressure on TU. Makovec broke up the spurt, with Wingo, Nye, and Hammann adding kills. Three unforced errors by Erskine in the final going sealed the win for the Pioneers.
Tusculum makes one last road trip to start the season, heading to Charlotte, North Carolina on Sunday (Jan. 19). The Pioneers will face the Queens Royals and Barton Bulldogs in a tri-match at noon and 3 p.m., respectively.
