Eagles split with Peach Belt competition

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. - After spending the Saturday in Aiken, S.C., the Eagles will bring home a win to Georgia College (11-12, 1-7 PBC) and a loss to USC Aiken (13-5, 2-4 PBC). 

"We have an obligation to compete when we are on the court." said head coach Ashley Tiernan. "We are showing moments of brilliance with our obligations as well as moments of fear. We are searching for consistency and a balance and once we find it we will do great things."

C-N v Georgia College: (10-25, 25-23, 25-20, 25-17)

After relinquishing the opening set by a 15 point margin, the Eagles switched gears and stole the following three sets to call the game against Georgia College on Saturday. 

The Eagles led the match with a hitting percentage of .124 and kepy the Bobcats under .125. Julia Wheeler tied with Rachel Machovec for a match high 13 kills. Taylor Adams was the only other Eagle who ended the match in double digit hitting efforts, with exactly 10. 

Calla Shotwell recorded a personal high .667 hitting percentage, talking four kills from six attempts and no errors. Skylor Weaver also had a perfect match with five kills on 12 attempts and no errors. 

Carlee Allbaugh and Blair Cherry split setting responsibilities, collectively gathering 47 assists. Trinity Hafey and Julia Wheeler both had 13 saves on the match. Georgia College's Callie Miller led the match with 18 digs. 

Set 1 (10-25)

Georgia College notched 16 kills from only 35 attempts with a .429 efficiency to take set one. C-N had 34 hitting attempts in the set but could only find points off of 7, for a .059 record. The Bobcats recorded a 100% side-out percentage, prohibiting C-N from any scoring runs to close in on their deficit. 

Set 2 (25-23)

In the most contested set of the match, C-N did not waver after 11 score ties, swapping the momentum of the match in their favor. Taylor Adams led the Eagles with four kills and a .500 hitting percentage. Skylor Weaver recorded two kills on only three attempts with no errors leading the set with a .667 efficiency. 

Set 3 (25-20)

A five point scoring lead in the middle of set three gave the Eagles a boost that carried them to the finish line, setting themselves up with a 2-1 lead over the Bobcats. C-N was able to keep their opponents at a negative hitting percentage and shot .062 themselves. 

Set 4 (25-17)

With the 2-1 lead over Georgia College, the Eagles notched 14 collective kills to bring home the match. Calla ShotwellJulia Wheeler, and Taylor Adams both had four kills in the fourth set. Mckenna Hall and Trinity Hafey had five digs a piece 

 

C-N v USC Aiken (19-25, 23-25, 11-25)

The Saturday double-header was concluded in a sweep by the hosts. Carson-Newman has been swept eight times this season, the most since the 2016 season. 

Julia Wheeler led the Eagles offensively and recorded her second double-double of the day with 11 kills and 11 digs. 

Trinity Hafey led C-N defensively with 14 digs. Mckenna Hall and Julia Wheeler also had double digit digs. 

USC Aiken recorded 55 kills as a unit in comparison to Carson-Newman's 28. They had three players with double-digit kills and three with double-digit digs. 

Set 1 (19-25)

Julia Wheeler tallied six of Carson-Newman's eight kills in set one. It was not enough to discount Aiken's 17 and .238 hitting percentage. and The Eagle's five total blocks were highlighted by a solo by Skylor Weaver and three assists each from Emmagrace Cobb and Molly Langford.

Set 2 (23-25)

After a back and forth affair to start out the set, the Pacer's pulled out ahead after the final tie at 5-5. They kept at least three points distance from the Eagles for the remainder of the set. Carson-Newman was able to creep up and close in by a point at 24-23 but a kill by Sadie McKay sealed the second set for the Pacers.

Set 3 (11-25)

The Pacers managed to keep C-N in a negative hitting percentage and shot .343 on their own to complete the sweep. They notched 17 kills, 18 digs, and three blocks in comparison to Carson-Newman's six kills, 12 digs, and singular block.

The Eagles will come back home next week to face Newberry at Holt Fieldhouse on Tuesday at 6 p.m.

 

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