Bluefield, VA – The Bluefield University Rams put up a strong fight but ultimately fell to Division II opponent Tusculum University in four sets (17-25, 23-25, 25-20, 19-25) on Tuesday evening. Despite the loss, several Rams turned in impressive performances, showcasing their offensive and defensive strengths.
Standout Performances
Leading the charge for Bluefield was Kyle Pietrzak, who delivered an 18-kill performance on 37 attempts, finishing with an impressive .324 hitting percentage. Mason Lloyd also made a significant impact with 13 kills, hitting .312 while adding five digs and three service aces.
General Smith contributed across the board, tallying seven kills and four block assists, while Richard Cisneros was highly efficient, recording four kills on 10 attempts without an error, hitting .400.
Setter Benedict Somes facilitated the offense with 37 assists while also adding three digs and one block assist. Defensively, Colby Mutter led the team with 11 digs, while Pietrzak and Lloyd also helped stabilize the back row.
Team Performance
The Rams recorded a .287 team hitting percentage, including a dominant second set where they hit .423. Despite falling behind two sets to none, the Rams showed resilience in the third, securing a 25-20 victory before ultimately dropping the fourth set 19-25.
Looking Ahead
Bluefield (10-6, 5-1) will look to bounce back in their next matchup as they continue their season with 2 more conference games this weekend.