Box Score GREENVILLE, Tenn. –
Justin Sawyer had a career-best 19 kills Tuesday night as the King University men's volleyball team picked up a five-set win over Tusculum, with the Tornado taking the first two sets before Tusculum won sets three and four.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: King 3, Tusculum 2 (25-18, 25-17, 22-25, 22-25, 15-12)
LOCATION: Pioneer Arena; Greenville, Tenn.
RECORDS: King 2-7; Tusculum 2-6
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Set
- Kellan Kennedy got things started with an early kill, giving King a 1-0 lead that became 4-2 a short time later after he had back-to-back kills.
- After the score got to 5-4, the Tornado scored three consecutive points, with Aaron Milstead getting a kill and Sawyer picking up a service ace.
- Coming out of a Tusculum timeout, the teams traded points until it was 11-8 King, where Sawyer picked up a kill before teaming up with Kennedy for a kill, giving King a 13-8 lead.
- The Tornado would eventually take a 17-11 lead, forcing a second Tusculum timeout.
- After Tusculum got to within 21-16, the Tornado scored four of the final six points to take the set, 25-18 on a kill by Sawyer.
Second Set
- The teams took turns scoring early, until Jackson Carroll picked up a kill to tie the set at 4, which started what would end up being a 7-1 run, extending the lead to 10-5 and forcing a timeout.
- The Tornado picked up after the timeout right where they left off, as Sawyer had a quick kill, followed by a solo Kennedy block to push the score to 12-5.
- King continued the domination, as Kennedy started another scoring run with a kill, which was followed by an AJ Drooker service ace, along with a block by Sawyer and Kennedy.
- The Pioneers would score four straight points late in the set, but the Tornado were able to cruise to a 25-17 set win, going up 2-0 in the match.
Third Set
- It was back-and-forth early, with the largest lead being a two point lead, which the Pioneers had at multiple points.
- Tusculum eventually took a 13-10 lead, eventually using a 4-0 run to go ahead 17-12.
- After a King timeout, Carroll recorded a kill, but Tusculum quickly extended their lead to 21-14 before a Davis kill ended the scoring run.
- That started a run for the Tornado where they scored four straight points, getting to within 21-18 and forcing Tusculum to call timeout.
- The Pioneers would come out of the timeout and score the next two points, taking a 23-19 lead.
- King scored back-to-back points to get back to within 23-21, with Kennedy and Davis teaming up for a block.
- The Pioneers would take two of the final three points, winning the set 25-22.
Fourth Set
- The Tornado scored the first two points of the set, eventually taking a 5-3 lead.
- The Pioneers were able to tie the set at seven, setting off a stretch where the lead constantly changed hands.
- The set was tied at 16, which is where Tusculum used a service ace to start a 4-1 run that saw them take a 20-17 lead.
- After a King timeout, they scored two of the first three points, getting to within 21-19.
- King was able to keep it close, getting to within 22-21, but Tusculum was able to hang on and win the set 25-22, forcing a fifth set.
Fifth Set
- Tusculum took an early 4-2 lead before a pair of attack errors leveled the set at 4.
- After a block from Sawyer and Milstead evened the set at five, the Tornado started to put some distance between themselves and the Pioneers, as that started a run of four consecutive points, giving King a 9-5 lead.
- The Tornado were able to get to match point, up 14-10, but the Pioneers wouldn't go away easy, scoring two consecutive points off a timeout to get to within 14-12 before Kennedy ended the match with a kill, giving King a 3-2 win.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Sawyer was one of four Tornado to record double digit kills. He was joined by Davis and Carroll, both of whom had 13, and Kennedy, who had 10.
- Davis also had 10 kills, earning himself a double-double.
- This was the first five set match of the season for King. Their last five-set match was March 19 of last season, a 3-2 win over Queens.
- The Tornado still have yet to lose to Tusculum, having won all five matches played.
FOR THE FOES
- Jake Whyte finished with 16 kills and seven digs, both of which led the Pioneers.
- Dane Loup had 13 kills, with Shaphar Grant and Colby Landry both adding 12.
UP NEXT
- The Tornado will play at Fort Valley State Friday, with first serve scheduled for 6 p.m.
- Tusculum kicks off a four-game road trip Friday at Alderson Broaddus.
