Carson-Newman 3, Southern Wesleyan 0: increasing efficiency completed the sweep

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL · AUGUST 28, 2026 · RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS

Executive brief

Carson-Newman swept Southern Wesleyan while improving its attacking return in each successive set. The Eagles combined that progression with advantages in aces and blocks to secure a second opening-day victory. [1]

Official data — match profile

Official match statistics. Hitting percentage is kills minus attack errors, divided by attempts. [1]

Decisive stretches

The Eagles hit .067 in the first set, .286 in the second and .410 in the third. Southern Wesleyan drew within 23–20 in the closing set before Emerson Ahsmuhs supplied consecutive kills, both assisted by Blair Cherry, to finish the match. [1]

Player impact

Ahsmuhs led Carson-Newman with 13 kills and added 11 digs. Addie Smith and Annie Dziczkowski each had 11 kills; Cherry recorded 35 assists and 12 digs. Chloe Edens served four aces. Kaylon Chapman led Southern Wesleyan with 10 kills, while Lily Clarkson made 12 digs. [1]

Mayberry’s take

The opening set was not especially efficient for either team. Carson-Newman’s later improvement matters because it shows a stronger attacking foundation developing within the match rather than three identical winning sets.

Southern Wesleyan also improved its third-set hitting, so the final 25–20 score reflects resistance as well as Eagle progress. Carson-Newman still needed two productive attacks at the end after the Warriors had narrowed the gap.

For the Eagles, the useful standard is pairing multiple scoring options with a low-error finish. The Warriors’ review is how to sustain their stronger attacking periods while limiting the serving and blocking advantages that gave Carson-Newman additional routes to points.

Conference context

Carson-Newman moved to 2–0 overall and remained 0–0 in the SAC. Southern Wesleyan opened 0–1. The match was nonconference competition. [1]