October 7, 2024

Eagles Begin Three-Match Road Trip at Mars Hill

Carson-Newman begins a three-match road trip with a match against Mars Hill.

Carson-Newman

11-3,7-0 SAC

Mars Hill

4-7,2-3 SAC

Final

Carson-Newman 11-3,7-0 SAC

Mars Hill 4-7,2-3 SAC

MATCH NOTES

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman begins a three-match road trip with a match against Mars Hill.

Carson-Newman (10-3, 6-0 SAC) sits alone atop the South Atlantic Conference standings as it hits the road for three matches away from Holt Fieldhouse. Mars Hill (4-6, 2-2 SAC) comes off postponing three conference matches, including Carson-Newman's, delaying the match with the Eagles from Friday to Monday evening.

The original delay came from damage to the Western North Carolina area due to the effects of Hurricane Helene.

The Eagles are on a five-match winning streak, having taken down five consecutive conference opponents en route to its 6-0 mark. Most recently, the Eagles broke out the brooms twice inside Holt Fieldhouse with wins over UVA-Wise and Catawba.

Mars Hill will play its first match since September 24, a five-set road loss to Tusculum, and its first match at Chambers Gymnasium since Sept. 17 against LMU. The Lions went 2-4 in the non-conference portion of their season so far, starting 2-2 and splitting their four matches at the Ram Rumble in Shepherdstown, W.V., where they took wins over Glenville St. and Bowie St. and losses to Edinboro and tournament hosts Shepherd. Mars Hill added non-conference losses to Converse and UNC-Pembroke.

In SAC play, the Lions started 2-0 with sweeps of Emory & Henry and Lincoln Memorial but are on a two-match conference slide after losses to Lenoir-Rhyne and Tusculum. Overall, Mars Hill is currently riding a three-match skid.

Individually, the Lions are led by sophomore middle blocker Katilyn Grant, who leads the team in kills with 78, for 2.11 kills per set. Grant also leads the Lions in blocks, collecting 28 total blocks (4 solo, 24 assisted) for 0.76 blocks per set, which also leads Mars Hill.

Mars Hill uses two primary setters in freshman Alyssa Kornegay and junior Mackenzie Schmucker, who hold 152 and 146 assists, respectively. No other Lion has more than 33 assists on the season.

Defensively, junior Laela Jimenez wears the libero's jersey, leading the team with 232 digs and topping the team with 6.27 digs per set.

Monday night's meeting will be the 72nd in the Carson-Newman-Mars Hill series history. The Eagles hold a solid 43-28 series lead. However, the Lions hold the distinction of the most recent win of the series and have won four of the last five meetings with Carson-Newman.

The Eagles are led by freshmen Maddie Hurst (Blaine, Tenn.) and Emerson Ahsmuhs (Placentia, Calif.), who was held out of the lineup last time against Catawba due to an illness. Sophomore setter Blair Cherry (Knoxville, Tenn.) continues to serve as the best setter in the conference with an assist-per-set mark of just under ten.

Defensively, Taylor Keeran (Galion, Ohio) and Hurst lead up front as the top middle blockers. At the same time, Bennett McCombs (Mt. Pleasant, S.C.) has worn the libero's jersey throughout the past few matches.

The match against Mars Hill can be streamed with a subscription on FloSports, first serve is set for 6:00 p.m. Those without a subscription can follow along for free by following @CN_Eagles on X. To keep up with everything, Carson-Newman volleyball, follow us on X or Instagram @CN_Eagles or our Facebook page: Carson-Newman Athletics.