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Tusculum and North Greenville will meet again in 2021.
North Greenville as part of unveiling its 2021 schedule announced it will play a home-and-home series versus Tusuclum with the first meeting being its season opener on Jan. 14.
This will be the second consecutive year the Crusaders and Pioneers have played each other.
Middle attacker Ben Hamsho had a season-high six aces as North Greenville defeated the first-year program in four games last year. In addition, all-conference outside attacker Jackson Gilbert had a team-high 13 kills in the victory.
Both Hamsho and Gilbert opted to return as graduate students for the 2021 season. The NCAA granted players an extra year of eligibility because of the coronavirus pandemic canceling the second half of the 2020 season.
Gilbert, despite missing part of last season because of an injury, finished among the ConfCarolinas leaders with a 3.72 kills per game average. In addition, Hamso was in the conference’s top 15 averaging 0.80 blocks per game and had a season-high 14 kills in an upset victory against then-No. 10/9 Grand Canyon in March.
Tusculum concluded its inaugural season at 5-14 and was winless against ConfCarolinas teams. The Pioneers, though, return multiple starters, including opposite Shaun Kampshoff who was among the team leaders last season averaging both 2.78 kills per game and 1.13 digs per game.
Along with the early-season match, the Pioneers and Crusaders will conclude the home-and-home series with a match March 30 at Tusculum.
This home-and-home series will be two of six non-conference matches that North Greenville plays in 2021.
The team will have home matches against Queens and the NAIA school Life. It also will have a home-and-home series against former ConfCarolinas member Limestone.
North Greenville 2021 schedule
Jan. 14 vs. Tusculum
Jan. 20 at Limestone
Feb. 3 vs. Belmont Abbey
Feb. 4 vs. Emmanuel
Feb. 5 at Lees-McRae
Feb. 9 vs. King
Feb. 12 at Erskine
Feb. 13 vs. Queens
Feb. 19 vs. Barton
Feb. 20 vs. Mount Olive
Feb. 24 at King
March 3 vs. King
March 12 vs. Lees-McRae
March 17 vs. Limestone
March 19 at Emmanuel
March 20 vs. Erskine
March 23 vs. Life
March 26 at Barton
March 27 at Mount Olive
March 30 at Tusculum
April 6 at Belmont Abbey