GAFFNEY, S.C. - Carlee Allbaugh and Julia Wheeler each recorded double-doubles leading Carson-Newman to a 3-0 start to South Atlantic Conference play at the Timken Center Saturday against Limestone.
"We played with moments of high volleyball IQ which is something we will need going into next week," Carson-Newman coach Ashley Tiernan said. "Some tightening up of our discipline on our defense in practice next week will be key to winning our challenging matches coming up."
The Eagles extend their winning streak to nine matches in a row, the longest in eight years when in 2014 from Oct. 7 to Oct. 25 the club rattled off nine in a row. Carson-Newman (10-1, 3-0) is off to a 3-0 start to the league slate for the third time since 2015. C-N has won six of the seven matches against Limestone (4-2, 1-2) winning for the fourth time in a row since the club joined the SAC.
Wheeler matched a career-high with an outrageous 27 kills making just four mistakes on a .348 attack percentage. She added 18 digs for a third straight double-double.
Allbaugh dished out a season-high 47 assists, the eighth time in her career she hit that mark. The Lees-McRae transfer added 16 digs.
Hayden Barton (Hixson, Tenn.) led the back line with 20 digs. Bennett McCombs (Mount Pleasant, S.C.) and Blake Cherry (Cookeville, Tenn,.) added 12 and 13 scoops respectively. Emmagrace Cobb (Greensboro, N.C.) tallied three total rejections.
2️⃣7️⃣ @juliawheerr kills
— Carson-Newman Athletics (@CN_Eagles) September 10, 2022
2️⃣0️⃣ @hbarton12 digs
4️⃣7️⃣ @AllbaughCarlee assists
3️⃣ @CobbEmmagrace blocks
9️⃣ @CarsonNewmanVB wins in a row pic.twitter.com/slsAZnOmIR
Defense was the difference in the first frame as the Eagles forced eight Saints attack errors with just seven kills. After winning eight of the first 11, C-N held an advantage the rest of the opening game pushing it out to as many as 13 points before Cherry smashed a ball off of the floor.
Once again in the third set Carson-Newman started off hot going ahead 13-3. Despite the Saints chiseling into the deficit, the margin was more than enough to have the Eagles coast to a second set win thanks to a blast by Ella Gay (Johnson City, Tenn.).
Winning three of the first four points in the third, the Saints held an edge for the majority of the set slowly building a six-point margin. The Orange and Blue pulled within two twice late but the Saints extended the match as each team hit above .250 in the game.
Five kills ignited a scorching start to the fourth with the Eagles winning each of the first seven points. The Saints came firing back to close the window to two points at 15-13 but the visitors won five of the next six to pull away sealing the deal on a service error.
Emily Cole was the only player in double figures for the home group finishing with 11 kills and 13 digs. No other player had more than five for the roster. Paige Cardella also tallied a double-double with 15 assists and 12 digs. Gabby Wessels added 22 digs.
The Eagles get one more road match travelling to Mars Hill on Tuesday night for a 6 p.m. first serve before finally opening the doors to Holt Fieldhouse next Friday.
- CN -
