NASHVILLE, Tenn. - For the fifth time in the last six seasons, Carson-Newman has begun a season with at least a 3-1 record tallying a pair of sweeps in the final day of the Trevecca Tournament at Trojan Fieldhouse on Saturday. The Eagles began the day by taking out King 29-27, 25-12 and 25-23 before toppling Christian Brothers 25-15, 25-18 and 25-23.
"Walking away 3-1 this weekend is a great feeling but the most important aspect we take away is the rhythm we found together as a team," Carson-Newman coach Ashley Tiernan said.
WIth two sweeps in one day, it is the first time that Carson-Newman (3-1) earns a pair in the same day for the first time since Sept. 11, 2019 taking down Georgia College and USC Aiken.
Match One: CARSON-NEWMAN 3, King 0
Carson-Newman has beaten King in four straight matches and are 17-4 since the 2001 season while earning its first sweep of the season.
One player for both sides finished in double figures in the attack for the match with Julia Wheeler (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) tallying another big effort with 17 kills hitting .316 adding eight digs.
Carlee Allbaugh (Tallahassee, Fla.) guided the attack with 19 assists and six digs. Abbey Hildenbrand (Parker, Colo.) filled up the box score with 18 assists, eight digs and six kills. Hayden Barton (Hixson, Tenn.) led the club with nine scoops.
Five different Eagles tallied at least five kills for the match piling up a .248 attack percentage adding five blocks from the front line.
Behind by a point at 19-18, C-N scored four of the next five to jump ahead before getting to a 24-22 advantage. The Eagles would get four set points and face a King set point at 27-26 before Cherry pummeled a ball to the ground to clinch the opening game. There were a dozen ties and five lead changes in the opening game.
The Eagles rode the momentum into the second stanza winning eight of the first 11 points. The margin swelled to as many as 14 points with the club posting 10 kills before making an error sealing the deal on a blast by Wheeler.
In the third game, C-N fell behind big early being down by as many as seven points. It was a 17-12 differential when the Orange and Blue mounted a charge winning 10 of the next 15 to tie the score at 22. After giving up a point, three Wheeler blasts in a row capped the comeback and sealed the victory.
Gracia Love, eight, and Hailee Blankenship, seven, produced 15 of the team's 29 kills for the match. Katie Harless handed out 17 assists and Kylee Coggins picked up 11 digs.
1️⃣7️⃣ @juliawheerr kills
— Carson-Newman Athletics (@CN_Eagles) August 27, 2022
9️⃣ @hbarton12 digs
1️⃣9️⃣ @AllbaughCarlee assists
2️⃣ @abbeyh65 blocks
�� first @CarsonNewmanVB sweep of the year pic.twitter.com/DvUhhyXGOu
1️⃣1️⃣ @juliawheerr kills
— Carson-Newman Athletics (@CN_Eagles) August 27, 2022
1️⃣0️⃣ @blakecherry11 digs
1️⃣8️⃣ @abbeyh65 assists
2️⃣ @skylorweaver_ blocks
�� Sweep two for the day pic.twitter.com/L4xTqQgpJq
Match Two: CARSON-NEWMAN 3, Christian Brothers 0
Meeting for the second year in a row after two meetings in the prior 20 seasons, the Eagles take down the Bucs for the second season in a row improving to 3-1 in the series.
Wheeler tallied another double-digit effort from the left pin with 11 smashes tossing in eight digs. Hildenbrand led the way with 18 assists and Allbaugh posted 16 helpers. Cherry was the lone Eagle with 10-plus digs finishing with 10 and six kills.
Behind 15 kills and .414 attack percentage, the Eagles cruised in the opening set. Winning seven of the first 10 points, C-N set the stage for a dominant effort. Christian Brothers chiseled the deficit to two but a late 8-1 burst provided a double-digit separation before Skylor Weaver (Katy, Texas) put the finishing touches on the game.
It was a tight start to the second stanza with the Orange and Blue holding a 6-5 edge before the group closed out the game on a 19-3 surge forcing six attack errors by the Bucs to just five kills. C-N hit .448 with 14 smashes and one miscue.
There were four ties and two lead changes in the third with CBU going ahead 17-14 only to see the Eagles answer with a 9-3 scoring run to go ahead 23-20. Ella Gay (Johnson City, Tenn.) cranked a ball off of the hardwood to seal the victory.
No one on Christian Brothers side of the net finished in double figures in kills with eight from Madison Spiva being the high mark. Tia Rizvi posted 14 assists and Kimmy Hammond picked up 13 digs.
The Eagles turn their attention to the start of South Atlantic Conference action starting on Tuesday night at 6 p.m. on the road against Tusculum from Pioneer Arena.
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