October 14, 2024

Volleyball Returns Home for Rivalry Clash with Tusculum

Carson-Newman returns home after a three-match road trip for a highly anticipated rivalry rematch with Tusculum.

Tusculum

7-10, 5-4 SAC

Carson-Newman

12-5, 8-2 SAC

Final

Tusculum 7-10, 5-4 SAC

Carson-Newman 12-5, 8-2 SAC

CAT COLLINS INTERVIEW

MATCH NOTES

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. - Carson-Newman returns home after a three-match road trip for a highly anticipated rivalry rematch with Tusculum.

Tusculum (7-9, 5-3 SAC) and Carson-Newman (11-5, 7-2 SAC) meet for the second time this season after Carson-Newman took down the Pioneers in Greeneville in five sets in late September.

Carson-Newman looked dominant through the first two sets before dropping sets three and four, allowing Tusculum to gain momentum in front of a raucous crowd. However, the comeback attempt was for naught, as the Eagles took set five to win the rivalry matchup.

"Definitely learned more about their offensive systems, their tempos in the middle," Carson-Newman volleyball head coach Cat Collins said. "I love the way we've grown through [this season] and found more chemistry, more of who we are, and learned more about each other."

Since that meeting, the Pios have gone 2-2 with losses at Lincoln Memorial and Anderson, two teams in the upper tier of the South Atlantic Conference. At the same time, the wins came against Emory & Henry and Coker, two leams who err towards the league's basement.

Individually, freshman outside Addison McLarty and senior right side Katherine Perrin lead the team in kills, each collecting over 2.75 per set. The top Tusculum setter is senior Madison Adkins, with 8.71 per set and 519 on the year; no other Pioneer has more than 50. Defensively, the top libero is senior Amiranee Au, who has 3.78 digs per set.

Taylor Sanders, Madison Adkins, and Jordyn Anderson all have over two digs per set to complement Au's play. Junior Martina Foster is the top middle blocker with 47 blocks on the year, for 0.77 per set.

The all-time series is as close as possible, with Tusculum holding the narrowest of edges, 36-35. The Eagles have won the last two meetings between the two sides in Mossy Creek and the last five of six meetings overall.

Those making the trip to Holt Fieldhouse can get in for free if you are a C-N student or faculty and anyone under 18. Everyone can get in the door for $5. Those not in Mossy Creek can watch with a subscription via FloSports. You can also follow along for free on X by following @CN_Eagles. To keep up to date with Carson-Newman Volleyball, follow us on social media @CN_Eagles on X and Instagram or Facebook by following Carson-Newman Athletics.