Hickory, N.C. - The Tusculum College Volleyball Team (14-4, 7-3) won its fourth straight match with a 3-0 victory over Lenoir-Rhyne University (11-9, 3-6) in a South Atlantic Conference contest?Friday night at Shuford Memorial Gymnasium.? The Pioneers defeated the Bears by scores of 25-19, 25-16 and 26-24.

Tusculum had staked?itself to?a 23-17 advantage in the third set and held off a furious Lenoir-Rhyne rally to take the victory.

Tusculum's Ashley Sarmiento (Dayton, Ohio) led the Pioneers with a double-double (35 assists and 11 digs) while Natalie Gaudreau (Venice, Fla.) added nine kills and 14 digs for the Pioneers, who swept the season series from the Bears.

Caitlyn Dean (Fort Wayne, Ind.) totaled team-high 23 digs for Tusculum as well.

For Lenoir-Rhyne, senior outside hitter Brooke Christenbury (Mooresville, N.C.) finished with a match-high 14 kills and 20 digs and sophomore return specialist Kaitlyn Burton (Mills River, N.C.) added a double-double (13 assists and 13 digs) despite the loss.

Freshman defensive specialist Emily Culler (Mount Airy, N.C.) tallied a match-high 26 digs for L-R, who suffered its second consecutive loss.

Lenoir-Rhyne travels to Brevard, N.C., to take on Brevard next Tuesday in a league match beginning at 7 p.m.? Tusculum plays at Brevard on Saturday at 1 p.m.