CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The University of Charleston men's volleyball team split its weekend series against the Tusculum Pioneers at the Wehrle Innovation Center, securing a dominant sweep on Friday before falling in a five-set battle on Saturday.

The Basics:
Location: Wehrle Innovation Center
Scores: W vs. TU – Fri.: 3-0 (31-29, 25-20, 25-22); L vs. TU a 3-2 (23-25, 27-25, 16-25, 25-23, 15-13)
Records: UC 8-11 (4-2 EIVA); 12-9 (0-1 SAC)

How it Happened:
Golden Eagles Fly Past Pioneers in Straight Sets Charleston (9-10, 4-2 EIVA) opened the weekend with an emphatic 3-0 (31-29, 25-20, 25-22) victory over Tusculum (11-9, 0-0 DI Independent) on Friday night. The Golden Eagles controlled the match offensively, led by Max Nissen's 18-kill performance on a .517 hitting percentage. Xander Bomert also delivered a standout effort with 15 kills while hitting .414.

Charleston's efficiency at the net proved to be the difference, as the team hit .358 compared to Tusculum's .216. Setter Paul Stommel orchestrated the attack with 40 assists, while Braxton Francis chipped in seven kills. The Golden Eagles overcame a tight opening set, edging out the Pioneers 31-29, before gaining momentum and closing out the match in convincing fashion.

Pioneers Edge Golden Eagles in Five-Set Thriller On Saturday, Charleston battled Tusculum to five sets but came up just short in a 3-2 (23-25, 27-25, 16-25, 25-23, 15-13) loss. The Golden Eagles were once again paced by a dominant showing from Bomert, who registered a match-high 28 kills while hitting .500. Colby Landry added 19 kills on a .483 clip, while Stommel dished out 32 assists.

Charleston jumped ahead with a strong third set, cruising to a 25-16 win, but Tusculum responded with a late push in the fourth and fifth sets to claim the victory. The Pioneers relied on Deklan Wingo's 26 kills and Morgan Makovec's .600 hitting efficiency to fend off the Golden Eagles.

Despite the loss, Charleston showed resilience, pushing the Pioneers to the limit with 40 digs and seven total service aces. The weekend split keeps the Golden Eagles in a strong position within EIVA play as they prepare for their upcoming conference matchups.

Up Next:
Charleston will return to action next week as they continue their pursuit of postseason contention. They will host Wittenberg University on Tuesday, March 18 at 7pm in the Wehrle Innovation Center.