Written by Chris Pendleton

BUENA VISTA, Va.—Playing in front of its home crowd for the first time this season, the Southern Virginia University women's volleyball team climbed to an impressive 8-2 mark Tuesday evening after sweeping Roanoke College 3-0 (25-17, 25-23, 25-19) in The Barn.

"Its great to win our first home match three-and-out," said first-year head coach Michelle Mahaffey who has Southern Virginia volleyball off to its best start since 2005 when the Knights opened the season at 11-1.

Freshman Camille Tua (Lehi, Utah) and sophomore Tori Tuttle (Kauai, Hawaii) led Southern Virginia's offense against Roanoke with seven kills a piece.

Junior Bryndy Christensen (Idaho Falls, Idaho) added six kills followed by senior Brynn McGinn (Bedford, Ind.) who collected five kills and a game-high four service aces.

Three different Knights—junior Nicole Gwynn (Hamilton, Mont.), sophomore Shyanne Ison (Mt. Pleasant, Utah) and Tua—finished with a match-high seven digs. Gwynn was also Tuesday's top setter assisting on 25 of Southern Virginia's 33 kills. 

In ten matches against NCAA Division III competition this season, Southern Virginia has lost only two matches as both losses came to teams with winning percentages currently over .700—Washington and Lee University (13-0) and Gettysburg College (8-3). 

The Knights will face two more D-III opponents on Saturday, Sept. 24 when they travels to Lynchburg, Va. for a tri-match with Lynchburg College and the University of Mary Washington.