September 9, 2025

Eagles volleyball opens SAC play with showdown at UVA-Wise

After a fiery 4-0 start, the Carson-Newman volleyball team sets its sights on the University of Virginia-Wise for the opening game of conference action. Carson-Newman has never lost to UVA-Wise in their history.

Carson-Newman

5-0,1-0 SAC

Virginia-Wise

2-3,0-1 SAC

Final	1	2	3	4	T
Carson-Newman 5-0,1-0 SAC	25	25	19	25	3
Virginia-Wise 2-3,0-1 SAC	18	17	25	16	1

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – After a fiery 4-0 start, the Carson-Newman volleyball team sets its sights on the University of Virginia-Wise for the opening game of conference action. Carson-Newman has never lost to UVA-Wise in their history.

It was an incredibly successful opening weekend for Carson-Newman, beginning their first few games 4-0, and all in three-set sweeps. This is the first time an Eagles team has started this well since 2010, when the team started 5-0 to begin the year.

The Eagles' defense was outstanding this weekend. Beginning with game one, C-N registered 87 digs as a team, a mark they only reached three times last season. Throughout their four games at the tournament, they didn't allow an opponent a hitting percentage above 0.06. They even held West Virginia Wesleyan to a negative hitting percentage.

It was also a breakout weekend for the Eagles attack. The young C-N front line did a great job finding empty space on the other side of the floor, hitting .256 as a team (up .07 from last year). Hitters like Annie Dziczkowski and Emerson Ahsmuhs did an outstanding job, combining for 87 kills. Dziczkowski notched three games with 11 kills and Ahsmuhs had games of 14 and 15 kills.

The Eagles sit on top of the SAC standings in overall win percentage, being the only team in the SAC to go undefeated this weekend. They are one of 59 teams left in Division II that are undefeated.

The Cavaliers opened the season with a tournament of their own, travelling to Fairmount, West Virginia, to take on teams including Palm Beach Atlantic, Slippery Rock, Fairmont State, and Elizabeth City State. Wise picked up two wins on the weekend over Slippery Rock and Elizabeth City State. They are tied for sixth in the SAC standings along with Tusculum, LMU, and Coker. A few surprises emerged in week one for Wise, including freshman star Mia Poag, who notched two double-doubles, including a 25-kill performance against Slippery Rock and 10+ digs in all four games.

Coming off a 12-16 season, their best in nearly a decade, the Cavaliers were projected 8th in the SAC preseason poll. They made the SAC Quarterfinals last season, where they lost to Wingate in three sets. With seven returning starters, third-year head coach Alyssa Hanley added nine new players to the roster this season.

Wise's top returners and SAC players to watch include Abigail Curtis, Morgan Blankenship, and Riley Brandon. Curtis was among the top three liberos in the conference and top 50 in the nation in digs per set, averaging 5.00 a set. Brandon had 240 kills and 128 assists last season in addition to 134 digs and 51 total blocks. She also set a new school NCAA record with nine triple doubles. Blankenship did not see the floor in 2024, had 205 kills and 52 total blocks in her sophomore season in 2023.

The Eagles opened the season 4-0 for the first time since 2015 when C-N went 5-0 to start the season. If C-N were to beat UVA-Wise, it would match that record. If C-N went on to win more games, they would be working toward the 2007 season when CNVB won 13 straight to open the year. Carson-Newman volleyball has never opened the season with four straight set sweeps. The last time Eagles volleyball swept teams four games in a row was in the 2022 season, October 28-November 7.

In game one of the Glenville State tournament, the Eagles came to play. Despite it being the season opener, four Carson-Newman players logged double-doubles in the victory over Chowan in three sets. At the top of the bunch was Emerson Ahsmuhs, who paced the Eagles in kills with 15 kills and logged a career high 18 digs on defense. Dziczkowski followed suit with 11 kills to go along with 16 digs. Cherry was next with 17 assists and 12 digs for her 29th double-double of her career. Smith rounded out the group with 15 assists and 16 digs. The last time this occurred for the Eagles was in October of 2022.

Emerson Ahsmuhs and Annie Dziczkowski were nothing short of exceptional this weekend with 40+ kills each 40+ digs each, and heavy contributions from the service line. Ahsmuhs had two games with 15 and 14 kills, but was unreal on defense, picking up double digit digs in every game of the tournament. She was also nearly flawless on serve receive. Even though she was targeted the most on the team, she only made three errors. Dziczkowski was more of the same. With three games of 11 kills and two double-doubles, Dziczkowski shined on all fronts. She was the most accurate and effective hitter for C-N and was unstoppable from the service line, with 13 assists over the weekend. Both players are among the top 100 in the nation in kills per set, Ahsmuhs is in the top 25 in the nation in digs per set, and Dziczkowski is top 15 in the nation in service aces per set. Both players were recognized for their efforts, making the Glenville State All-Tournament Team.