The 2001 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Volleyball Tournament Championship began play Saturday at Tusculum College. Below are releases from the four first-round matches.

#1 Presbyterian Advances to Semifinals with 3-0 Win Over #8 Mars Hill

GREENEVILLE, TN - The top seeded Blue Hose of Presbyterian College advanced to the semifinal round of the 2001 edition of the Food Lion SAC Volleyball Tournament with a 3-0 victory over the eighth seeded Mars Hill College Lady Lions today in Alpine Arena.

The Blue Hose cruised through games one (30-10) and two (30-20) before Mars Hill gave Presbyterian a challenge for the match in the final stanza. Presbyterian completed the three-game sweep of the Lions with 30-28 win in set three.

First team All-SAC selection senior outside hitter Aisha Walker led Presbyterian with 13 kills in the win. Sophomore outside hitter Debbie Tamosaitis, another first team All-SAC member followed Walker with 18 digs and five service aces in the contest. Freshman setter Melissa Sabin provided the team with a match-high 33 assists in the match.

Junior outside hitter Kristen Shipley led Mars Hill with 13 kills and 10 digs. Senior setter Jennifer Wilson tallied 28 assists in the loss. The loss eliminated Mars Hill in the single-elimination event.

Presbyterian will meet Tusculum College in the semifinal round (4:30 p.m.) who prevailed as well in the first round with a 3-2 victory over Lenoir-Rhyne College.

Game Scores: (30-10, 30-20, 30-28)

Leaders:
Presbyterian - Aisha Walker (13 kills); Debbie Tamosaitis (18 digs, 5 service aces); Melissa Sabin (33 assists); Kati Scott (2 blocks); Leah Easler (5 service Aces).
Mars Hill - Kristen Shipley (13 kills, 10 digs); Jen Wilson (28 assists); Weilan Zhou (1 block); Vickie Vaughan (2 service aces).

Records:
Presbyterian (23-7)
Mars Hill (9-24)

#2 Carson-Newman Advances to Semifinals with 3-0 Win Over #7 Newberry

GREENEVILLE, TN - #2 Carson-Newman College advanced to the semifinal round of the 2001 Food Lion SAC Volleyball Tournament with a 3-0 victory over the seventh seeded Newberry College Indians today in Alpine Arena.

Junior outside hitter Kendra Rickertson, a second team All-SAC member, and senior outside hitter Amy Edwards, a first team All-SAC selection, led the Eagles to victory. Rickertson led all players with 12 kills and Edwards recorded 13 digs and three service aces. Junior setter Sherry Trimble tallied 22 assists in the victory.

Sophomore setter Aubrey Mosley, a second team All-SAC pick, led Newberry in almost every category. She posted seven kills, 19 digs, 29 assists and three service aces. Junior outside hitter Dalton Fowler followed Mosley with seven kills and three service aces.

Carson-Newman will meet Catawba College in the semifinal round at 7:00 p.m. The Indians defeated Wingate University 3-1 in the first upset of the tourney.

Game Scores: (30-22, 30-25, 30-20)

Leaders:
Carson-Newman - Kendra Rickertson (12 kills); Amy Edwards (13 digs, 3 service aces); Sherry Trimble (22 assists).
Newberry - Aubrey Mosley (7 kills, 19 digs, 29 assists, 3 service aces); Dalton Fowler (7 kills, 3 assists); Leigh Anne Pitts (2 blocks).

Records:
Carson-Newman (24-12)
Newberry (9-21)

#6 Catawba Defeats #3 Wingate in the Events First Upset

GREENEVILLE, TN - The sixth seeded Catawba College Indians defeated the third seeded Wingate University Bulldogs in five games in the first round of the 2001 Food Lion SAC Tournament. Catawba made an impressive comeback after losing game one, 30-19.

After trailing 1-0, Catawba reset and pulled off a two-point (32-30) win in game two that gave them the confidence they needed to win the match. They won games three and four rather impressively. After a 30-21 win in the third stanza, the Indians rolled to a 30-18 victory in the final frame.

Junior middle hitter and second team All-SAC selection Rachel LaRoche led Catawba's attack along with the strong setting performance of junior Lettie Wilkes. LaRoche recorded 18 kills and Wilkes supplied the Indian offense with 50 assists in the match. Freshman outside hitter Hope Miller tallied 29 digs in the win.

Sophomore hitter Lindsay Hinson led Wingate with 17 kills and three service aces. The SAC Player of the Year, Stephanie Poole, recorded 45 assists in the loss. Freshman hitter Shaunna Dixon led Wingate's defense with 24 digs in the contest.

Catawba will meet Carson-Newman College in the semifinal round at 7:00 p.m. The Eagles defeated Newberry College 3-0 to advance to the semifinals.

Game Scores: (19-30, 32-30, 30-21, 30-18)

Leaders:
Catawba - Rachel LaRoche (18 kills); Lettie Wilkes (50 assists; 7 service aces); Hope Miller (29 digs); Elizabeth Hewitt (7 blocks).
Wingate - Lindsay Hinson (17 kills, 3 service aces); Shaunna Dixon (24 digs); Stephanie Poole (45 assists); Barbie Baltimore (4 blocks).

Records:
Catawba (13-13)
Wingate (26-11)

#4 Tusculum Advances to Semifinals with 3-2 Win Over #5 Lenoir-Rhyne

GREENEVILLE, TN - The fourth seeded Pioneers of Tusculum College advanced to the semifinal round of the 2001 edition of the Food Lion SAC Volleyball Tournament with a 3-2 victory over the fifth seeded Lenoir-Rhyne College Bears today in Alpine Arena.

Tusculum jumped out to a 1-0 lead with a 30-22 win in game one before the Bears obtained a 2-1 advantage after game three.

The Bears won game two 30-23 and then was victorious in the third frame by a score of 30-17.

The last two sets were closely played with the Pioneers winning game four 30-23 and then took the decisive set 15-11.

Junior middle hitter Jamie Johnson, a first team All-SAC pick, and sophomore outside hitter Michelle Comstock led the Pioneers to victory. Johnson posted 10 kills, 24 digs, and 10 blocks in the five game victory. Comstock recorded 12 kills, 18 digs, and a pair of service aces in the match. Senior setters Libby Mauck and Sierra Harlacher provided the Pioneer attackers with 29 and 21 assists in the victory, respectively.

First team All-SAC senior outside hitter Michelle Baity led the Bears with a match-high 26 kills in the loss. Baity also had 11 digs in the contest. Senior setter Cassandra Stemple tallied 65 assists and 11 digs in the match.

Tusculum will meet Presbyterian College in the semifinal round (4:30 p.m.) who prevailed in the first round with a 3-0 sweep over Mars Hill College.

Game Scores: (30-23, 23-30, 17-30, 30-23, 15-11)

Leaders:
Tusculum - Jamie Johnson (10 kills, 24 digs, 10 blocks); Michelle Comstock (12 kills, 18 digs, 2 service aces); Rachel Woods (16 kills); Libby Mauck (29 assists, 4 blocks, 4 service aces); Sierra Harlacher (21 assists); Johanna Ratliff (21 digs, 2 service aces).
Lenoir-Rhyne - Michelle Baity (26 kills, 11 digs); Cassandra Stemple (65 assists, 11 digs, 2 service aces); Carolyn Prescott (12 digs).

Records:
Tusculum (21-13)
Lenoir-Rhyne (17-14)