September 23, 2025

In a bounce-back win, volleyball dismantles Tusculum

Carson-Newman volleyball dominated the Pioneers to pick up their second SAC win of the season.

Carson-Newman

11-1,2-1 SAC

Tusculum

3-7,1-3 SAC

Final	1	2	3	T
Carson-Newman 11-1,2-1 SAC	25	25	25	3
Tusculum 3-7,1-3 SAC	12	20	23	0

VIDEO: Cat Collins Postgame

GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – Carson-Newman volleyball dominated the Pioneers to pick up their second SAC win of the season.

"You know, any team after a big game and a loss, we just want to do the best us that we can and we did great tonight and bounced back and showed what we were made of," said head coach Cat Collins following the win.

It was all Eagles in set one, jumping out to a 13-6 lead after a five point run at the service line from Annie Dziczkowski. Emerson Ahsmuhs showcased her full abilities in the first frame, grabbing seven kills in the first set to go along with three digs and a block. Bella Cardello and Addie Smith also kept the defense guessing, grabbing two slams apiece. Tusculum made six attack errors in the first set to hit .036 in set one, while Carson-Newman was finding hardwood early and often, hitting .393. The Eagles would pick up the first set 25-12.

The Eagles seemed incredibly well prepared for whatever the Pioneers had to offer.

"I think our staff kind of sat down after Friday and was like, we just need to make it more about us. Don't overload them with too much information before the game. And so that's just kind of our goal is to walk alongside them, help them through the game, but really just let them play," said Collins.

Set two was a touch closer, but the Eagles held control. The Pioneers would get their first lead of the match in the early points with a 4-3 lead to start. However, kills from Smith, Ahsmuhs, and Maddie Hurst would put the Eagles right back ahead, 12-8. It was great defense and scrambling from the Eagles that would get the job done, with 13 digs in the second set to go along with two blocks from Cardello and Smith. In elite connection with her hitters, Blair Cherry dished 16 assists in the second set for a 25-20 set two victory.

Tusculum kept it close in set three, but the Eagles stayed incredibly calm. The set was tied 6-6 following a few service errors from C-N, but the women would bounce right back, causing two attack errors from the Pioneers and forcing a timeout. Ahsmuhs also exploded, grabbing three straight kills in a row to put the Eagles up 15-10 and cause another Tusculum timeout. The Pioneers Mackenzie Land would then respond, biting back with a few kills of her own to tie the set at 19. It was Raychel Ehlers who would slam the door, though, with a service ace and her first kill of the evening to take the third set 25-23.

Despite a tough contest on Friday, the Eagles looked in tip-top shape, putting home 42 kills with seven team blocks and hitting .316 on the match. While no player was in double-digits in the dig category, four players on the Eagles roster recorded seven digs. The team combined for 38, and held the Pioneers to a .121 hitting percentage.

Ahsmuhs notched her seventh straight game with 14 or more kills as the sophomore landed 19 of her 34 swings to hit an astounding .471 on the match. Both Smith and Hurst followed with six kills each. Cardello showed up big on the block with six on the evening for her 6^th game this season with 5+ blocks. Blair Cherry led the way from the service line with two aces and dished 36 assists to average 12 a set over the match.

"It definitely gives us more confidence and knowing that we have resilience, no matter what happens on Friday," Collins said.

The Eagles move to 11-1 on the season and 2-1 in SAC play where they currently sit tied for fifth. They will return home on Friday to take on #21 Wingate at 7:00.