Carson-Newman Wins Back-To-Back SACC Tournament Championships
Carson-Newman Beach Volleyball delivered a perfect finish to its season, sweeping both matches on championship day to capture the South Atlantic/Conference Carolinas Tournament title and repeat as league champions.
VIDEO: Cat Collins Interview
VIDEO: Final Point and Bracket
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – Carson-Newman Beach Volleyball left no doubt in its title defense, sweeping both matches on Saturday to capture the South Atlantic/Conference Carolinas Tournament Championship at the Greeneville Beach Complex.
"We got pushed this morning in our match with Erskine, so we had to regroup and refocus," said head coach Cat Collins. "I'm so proud of this team. It's such an honor to be a part of this program, and I am glad we get this reward. We are so thankful that God gave us this opportunity."
This marks the second season in a row that the Eagles have finished the season unbeaten in conference play, going a perfect 20-0 over that time.
"It's crazy, and it requires the whole staff's effort," said Collins. "I'm really glad that they accept all of me and the coaches, and that we can work together so well. We talk about how much of a blessing it is to be here and the talents that we were given, and the whole team used them well today."
The Eagles opened the day with a hard-fought 5-0 semifinal victory over Erskine. Despite dropping first sets on multiple courts early in the dual, Carson-Newman rallied across the lineup to secure straight-set wins on all five courts. Trinity Hafey and Paige Halcrow led the charge from the top flight, while Emerson Ahsmuhs and Ava Potts, Addie Smith and Camryn Ehlers, Morgan Foy and Lucy Bartee, and Madison Trondle and Kelcey Peterson all battled back to complete the sweep and send the Eagles to the championship match.
Match 1: C-N 5, Erskine 0
- Trinity Hafey/Paige Halcrow (CN) def. Abigail Platt/Reka Meilinger (EC) 15-21, 21-15, 15-8
- Emerson Ahsmuhs/Ava Potts (CN) def. Caroline Kelly/Ella Dietrich (EC) 21-15, 21-17
- Addie Smith/Camryn Ehlers (CN) def. Hannah Platt/Mackenzie Fa'apouli (EC) 21-16, 21-17
- Morgan Foy/Lucy Bartee (CN) def. Allysa Owens/Elly Davis (EC) 18-21, 21-9, 15-7
- Madison Trondle/Kelcey Peterson (CN) def. Rinnah Roberts/Anna Haselden (EC) 19-21, 21-18, 15-12
In the title match, Carson-Newman delivered another statement performance, defeating Tusculum 5-0 to secure back-to-back conference championships. The Eagles controlled every flight from the start, showcasing their depth and consistency as all five pairs earned victories. Hafey and Halcrow once again set the tone, followed by strong performances from Ahsmuhs and Potts, Smith and Ehlers, Foy and Bartee, and Trondle and Peterson.
C-N took down Tusculum last season in the championship match, winning 3-2 in a nail-biter third set that saw the Eagles come out on top. This year was the same matchup with a different result. Despite the ones and fives pairs going to three sets, pairs 2–4 secured the SACC title for Carson-Newman.
Match 2: C-N 5, Tusculum 0
- Trinity Hafey/Paige Halcrow (CN) def. Hannah Marsh/Sofia Vega Barrantes (TU) 13-21, 21-14, 15-8
- Emerson Ahsmuhs/Ava Potts (CN) def. Brynn Smith/Sylvia Liszewski (TU) 21-14, 21-11
- Addie Smith/Camryn Ehlers (CN) def. Jordyn Anderson/Solene Roussel (TU) 21-11, 21-14
- Morgan Foy/Lucy Bartee (CN) def. Siri Aasgard/Ally Doty (TU) 21-13, 21-7
- Madison Trondle/Kelcey Peterson (CN) def. Cooper George/Ryann Gallagher (TU) 16-21, 21-19, 15-13
Carson-Newman finishes the weekend undefeated and caps off its tournament run without dropping a match, cementing its place atop the conference for the second consecutive season.
"Obviously, we want to win, but we really just wanted the girls to be confident and believe in who God created them to be in these moments," Collins stated. "Trust their training but reflect God in what we do, how we win, and if we lose, we want to do the same thing. When teams are done playing us, we want to make sure they get some piece of God and feel that we represent Him well, and I feel like the girls do that really well."
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