JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. - Carson-Newman beach volleyball (19-0) will play their final home matches of the season when they take on Tennessee Tech University (3-5) in a doubleheader on Wednesday, Mar. 29th.
Carson-Newman won the first battle of Eagles 4-1 against their Division I foe. The Blue and Orange won in the one, two, four, and five spots and a Calla Shotwell/Kenzie Palmer exhibition match victory. The Eagles are 5-0 against schools with mascots that fly after defeating the Huntingdon Hawks, the Lynchburg Hornets, the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles, the Erskine Flying Fleet, and the Morehead St. Eagles.
The Eagles can finish undefeated at home for the third consecutive season and for just the fourth time in program history, excluding the 2020 campaign when the season was halted due to Covid-19. Carson-Newman can tie the program record for victories at home in a season with six if they sweep the Golden Eagles.
Carson-Newman features five pairs that have yet to be beaten this season. This season, Abbey Hildenbrand and Ava Fountain are 19-0, playing exclusively as Carson-Newman's two pair. McKenna Hall and Julia Wheeler are 19-0 after splitting their work between the three and four spots. Piper Halcrow and Ashlyn Phair are 6-0 in the five spot. Jenny Ille and Halcrow are 7-0 in the five spot, and Kenzie Palmer and Halcrow are 4-0 in the five.
Morgan Siwiec set the program record for most wins in a single season after her 20-9 season last year. Hildenbrand, Fountain, Hall, and Wheeler can make program history when they match up against the Golden Eagles.
The Eagles can win their 20th matchup of the season for the first time in program history. Head Coach Cat Lind said that the team set a goal for 20 wins this season back on Feb. 2nd, ahead of their season opener against LaGrange.
"The team has decided that we are shooting for 20 wins," Lind said. "I fully expect us to hit the ground running and get a bunch of those in February."
Lind's squad has a good chance to surpass their preseason goal with seven matches before the Eagles reach postseason play.
Tennessee Tech has accumulated three wins in its inaugural beach volleyball season. The Golden Eagles have defeated Spartanburg Methodist, Bob Jones, and Eastern Illinois but have fallen to Berry College, Lindenwood, UT Martin, Chattanooga, and of course, Carson-Newman.
Action against Tennessee Tech is scheduled to begin at noon on Carson-Newman's beach volleyball courts.
For more information on Carson-Newman beach volleyball, visit cneagles.com or follow Carson-Newman athletics on social media.
