Eagles Prep for Mid-Week Match Against Pioneers
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman beach volleyball takes the short trip to rival Tusculum for a one-day head-to-head matchup with the Pioneers on Wednesday, Mar. 19, beginning at 2:00 p.m.
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman beach volleyball takes the short trip to rival Tusculum for a one-day head-to-head matchup with the Pioneers on Wednesday, Mar. 19, beginning at 2:00 p.m.
The Eagles will face off against the Pioneers in Tusculum, Tenn., for the first time this season.
The last time the Eagles took to the courts was in Salisbury, N.C., at Catawba College for the first conference weekend. The team went 4-0 in their matches against Catawba (4-1), Erskine (4-1), Emmanuel (3-2), and Wingate (5-0). Tusculum was in attendance that weekend at Catawba but did not square off with the Eagles.
"We had a great weekend, and it was so fun," said beach coach Cat Collins. "The first weekend of being part of a conference was an awesome experience. I'm proud of our team, and we peaked at a great time. Every pair played very well, so I'm just proud of their performance."
This marks the first meeting between the Eagles and Pioneers this season. The Pioneers seemingly had the Eagles' number last season, sweeping C-N in both matches they played. Coach Cat Collins wants to see that change in the mid-week matchup.
"I'm not quite sure what Tusculum's lineup will look like because they change it quite a bit," said Collins. "We need to ensure that we focus on our game and what we're capable of. We need to be mentally tough, especially with this being a rivalry game. Staying emotionally focused and centered on what we do. It was good to see Tusculum this past week to get a feel for what we're going to get, and I know our team is motivated."
The Eagles boast a 12-4 record on the season, with the only losses coming from Division I schools ULM, Liberty, Coastal Carolina, and College of Charleston.
"Those matches made us mentally tough and okay with not playing perfectly," Collins said. "When we play teams at our level, it makes it easier to get frustrated with mistakes. Playing those teams that are much harder helps to prepare us for teams that are tougher and makes us more competitive by seeing higher-level play."
Carson-Newman has secured three SAC Player of the Week honors this season, with Emerson Ahsmuhs and Trinity Hafey winning in the first week, and Morgan Foy and Camryn Ehlers earning the award twice.
"We love our lineup right now," said Collins. "Every pair is peaking at the right time and has found really great chemistry together. Morgan and Camryn have great chemistry, and they are so crafty with excellent ball control. It's so fun watching them, and they don't really even need me there."
Despite the impressive offensive numbers the Eagles have displayed this season, defense has been an area that Collins would like to see improve this Wednesday.
"Defense and scoring out of defense are the areas that need to improve," Collins said. "We're really good at serving with great ball control, so we need to make sure that we are scoring in transition."
The Eagles will make the trek to Tusculum, Tenn. on Wednesday, Mar. 19, for a 2:00 p.m. tip-off against the rival Pioneers.
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