GREENEVILLE, Tenn. - Down 2-0 in the match and facing two match points in the fifth, Carson-Newman never wavered coming back to beat Tusculum in the 2022 South Atlantic Conference regular-season opener, 13-25, 22-25, 25-17, 27-25 and 16-14, Tuesday evening at Pioneer Arena.
"It took us two sets to settle in and find our rhythm," Carson-Newman coach Ashley Tiernan said. "Once we executed on our side of the net, we took control of the game.
Carson-Newman (4-1, 1-0) was 0-11 under Tiernan when trailing 2-0 in the match as it won for the first time since Oct. 7, 2016 at Brevard when needing to win the final three sets to seal victory in the match snapping a string of 34 consecutive affairs without a comeback victory.
The Eagles have opened the year with a triumph in league action in eight of the last nine years. C-N has won four its last five visits to Tusuclum (0-1, 0-1).
Julia Wheeler (Murfreesboro, Tenn.), who was named the Tennessee Sportswriters Association Player of the Week earlier on Tuesday, led the attack with 19 kills and 13 digs. Blake Cherry (Cookeville, Tenn.) reset her career high for the second time this year with 15 kills hitting .323 adding 14 digs and three block assists.
Taylor Keeran (Galion, Ohio) racked up 11 smashes. Abbey Hildenbrand (Parker, Colo.) tallied a double-double with 25 assists and 12 digs while Carlee Allbaugh (Tallahassee, Fla.) added a team-high 33 assists. Hayden Barton (Hixson, Tenn.) chipped in 11 digs.
Add another one to the trophy case for @juliawheerr. @CarsonNewmanVB's outside hitter is the TSWA Player of the Week. pic.twitter.com/NOVzKYt2ws
— Carson-Newman Athletics (@CN_Eagles) August 30, 2022
1️⃣9️⃣ @juliawheerr kills
— Carson-Newman Athletics (@CN_Eagles) August 31, 2022
1️⃣4️⃣ @blakecherry11 digs
3️⃣3️⃣ @AllbaughCarlee assists
2️⃣.5️⃣ @skylorweaver_ blocks
✅ @CarsonNewmanVB comeback pic.twitter.com/tBqyAulz6F
With five early attack errors, the Eagles dug themselves a hole falling behind 11-3. While the attack improved, C-N failed to put a major dent into the game committing 10 attack miscues while tallying just eight kills in the set before another misfire put the club in a 1-0 hole in the match.
The second stanza featured 13 ties and five lead changes in a seesaw affair where the largest lead for either team was three, C-N's early 3-0 edge and Tusculum's final margin. After Wheeler pounded a ball to the ground, it was deadlocked at 21 but the Pioneers won four of the final five points capped by a smash from Emiah Burrowes to take the game.
Tiernan's team flipped the script in the third set making just one attack error in the game hitting .368 as a unit. C-N fell into a 6-3 hole before a 6-1 burst put the unit ahead. It was a one-point contest at 15-14 before the Eagles closed out the set on a 9-3 surge with Hildenbrand putting the finishing touches on set three.
In the fourth frame, the Orange and Blue won the first five points and nine of the first 12 holding the lead for almost all of the set. Ahead 24-22, the Pioneers won two in a row to tie the score at 24. It would take four set points but back-to-back kills to the left corner by Wheeler sealed the game and forced a fifth set.
There were eight ties and four lead changes in the fifth set with the Pioneers winning three straight to break an eight-all tie. A kill from Burrowes put the home group in the driver's seat with a match point at 14-12. After a Wheeler kill, back-to-back attack errors opened the door before Wheeler slammed it shut with a service ace.
Burrowes led all players with 23 kills whacking it at a .432 margin. Pigza was the only other player in double figures chipping in a dozen. Three players finished with double-digit assists led by Elise Carmichael's 27. Carly Sosnowski paced the athletes with 31 scoops.
As the calendar flips to September, Carson-Newman sets its sights on another four-match weekend in the USC Aiken Tournament starting on Friday at 2 p.m. against Auburn-Montgomery.
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