September 6, 2025

Volleyball starts the season 4-0 for the first time in 15 years

The Eagles volleyball team swept both Bluefield State and Glenville State to complete their perfect weekend and move to 4-0.

Carson-Newman

3-0

Bluefield St.

0-3

Final	1	2	3	T
Carson-Newman 3-0	25	25	25	3
Bluefield St. 0-3	16	17	22	0

Carson-Newman

4-0,0-0 SAC

Glenville St.

2-1,0-0 MEC

Final	1	2	3	T
Carson-Newman 4-0,0-0 SAC	25	25	25	3
Glenville St. 2-1,0-0 MEC	11	17	13	0

GLENVILLE, W. Va. – The Eagles volleyball team swept both Bluefield State and Glenville State to complete their perfect weekend and move to 4-0.

The last time an Eagles volleyball team started undefeated through four games was back in 2010 when the team started 5-0.

Game 1 – Bluefield State

The third game of the Glenville State tournament was the closest game the Eagles have played; regardless, they win in three sets 25-16, 25-17, and 25-22.

C-N was down early in the first set, 6-9, following two service aces from Bluefield's Soniya Garner, until Addie Dziczkowski stepped up to serve. Helped by two kills from Maddie Hurst and three aces from Dziczkowski, the Eagles went on an eight-point run to put them up 14-9.

Sophomores Emerson Ahsmuhs and Dziczkowski were relentless on the front lines, dropping four and three kills, respectively. Serving substitute Avery Sziksai punctuated the set with a service ace.

In set two, the Big Blue managed to keep it close until midway through the set when Bella Cardello slammed one home that would bring Claire Bolton to the line. The sophomore's tough serving was enough to cause three attack errors from Bluefield, plus Bolton would pick up an ace for a 21-15 lead. Both Maddie Hurst and Ahsmuhs notched kills to round out the set and grab a 25-17 victory.

The last set was the most tumultuous for the Eagles, where they never lead until it a kill from Ahsmuhs tied the set at 22 and two attack errors from the Big Blue would give C-N set three 25-22. The team struggled with accuracy in the third set, with a .023 hitting percentage, their lowest in a set this season, but Ahsmuhs shined with seven kills.

Carson-Newman held the Big Blue attack to under .100 hitting percentage. Emerson Ahsmuhs notched a double-double (14 kills, 14 digs) and was the only Eagle with double-digit kills. Blair Cherry added 9 digs to go along with her 32 assists and Trinity Hafey held up the back row with 10 digs as well.

Game 2 – Glenville State

Despite the early start for Carson-Newman in game one, the Eagles showed no signs of fatigue, grabbing a 7-1 lead off a disorienting run at the service line from Ahsmuhs.

Carson-Newman's presence at the net was staggering with five total team blocks in the first set. It was the sophomore Bella Cardello that led the blocking effort for C-N, denying 4 separate swings, and Dziczkowski was able to capitalize with four kills herself. Addie Smith ended the set with a kill that swiftly ended the set 25-11.

Smith got going early in the second set as well, grabbing two kills in the first three points for the Eagles. She tallied five throughout the match. After Carson-Newman went up 14-10 in the set, the Pioneers weren't able to string together more than three points in a row. Hurst closed out the set with her fifth of the set. The Eagles' defense and scrambling were outstanding in set two, with Trinity Hafey picking up seven digs. C-N won the second set 25-17.

The Eagles continued to dominate in the third set. Dziczkowski dazzled again, going on two five-serve runs where she grabbed two aces, three kills, and three digs. Hurst wrapped up the third set with a kill and a silencing block to propel the Eagles to a 25-13 set three victory and wrap up the match.

Hurst was outstanding in game four with 10 kills to go along with five blocks. Her effort on the front line was helped by Bella Cardello with six blocks of her own, and Dziczkowski tacked on 11 kills. Ahsmuhs notched 15 digs while Hafey picked up 11

With the four victories, the Eagles hold the best overall record in SAC at the time of writing. They will be tested in SAC play for the first time on Tuesday evening when they travel to UVA-Wise for a midweek matchup at 7 pm.