Eagles end season with split on final day of SAC Beach Challenge

Published to cneagles.com on May 1, 2021

SALISBURY, NC - Carson-Newman beach volleyball wrapped up the season with a pair of matches, knocking off Lincoln Memorial 5-0 before falling to Tusculum 4-1 in the nightcap of the SAC Beach Challenge.

"While the season didn't end the way we wanted it to," says head beach volleyball coach Cat Lind. "But the leadership of our seniors was huge and the lessons that'll be left will be huge for us and have helped develop this program for the future."

MATCH ONE - Carson-Newman 5, Lincoln Memorial 0

The Eagles snapped their five game losing streak with a dominant 5-0 win over Lincoln Memorial on Saturday, May 1.

"We did really well," says Lind. "Our mental game was awesome and our skills followed and we executed at a high level."

Piper Halcrow and Alyssa Johnson set the tone with a two-set victory, rolling in the exhibition match 21-7 and 21-6.

At the no. two position, Abby Struewing and Sierra Still earned a hard fought two-set victory, winning 22-20 and 21-19 to give the Eagles the early lead.

In the match of the day, Joy Rhodes and Lindsey Geurin rallied from down 19-16 in the first set to take the opener 25-23. The pair dropped the second set 21-10 before taking a wild third set 20-18 and putting Carson-Newman up 2-0.

The no. five pair of Lauren Williams and Alanis Mendez clinched the match for the Eagles, winning in straight sets 21-10 and 21-8. It's the pair's first win since Mar. 31 against St. Andrews.

Megan Oldenburger and Summer Coulter continued their dominance, winning set one 21-19 before rolling to a 21-5 victory in set two over the Splitters.

Mia Toribio and Morgan Siwiec completed the sweep, earning a two-set victory by scores of 21-13 and 21-12.

The win gives the Eagles their second most wins in program history. The current record is 11 set back in 2016. Still moves into a four-way tie for the second most wins in a single season with 12.

MATCH TWO - Tusculum 4, Carson-Newman 1

Despite the second straight win of the day by Joy Rhodes and Lindsey Geurin, the Eagles fell to rival Tusculum 4-1 to end the season in Salisbury on Saturday, May, 1.

Rhodes and Geurin came back to win the first set 22-20 before dropping the second set in a hard-fought 22-20 loss. The pair rallied in the third set, winning three straight points to put the match away at number four.

"This weekend was the best I've ever seen Joy play," says Lind. "Lindsey's energy elevates Joy game and they work well together on the court."

Piper Halcrow and Alyssa Johnson earned their second win of the day in the exhibition slot, winning in straight sets 21-18 and 21-14.

Abby Struewing and Sierra Still would fall in straight sets for just the third time this season, losing

at the number two position 21-11 and 21-17. Struewing will finish her time at Carson-Newman as the beach volleyball program's all-time wins leader with 22 career victories. Still will wrap up her freshman season in a four-way tie for second most wins in a single season after going 12-5.

Summer Coulter and Megan Oldenburger fell in a hard-fought match 21-16 and 21-18 to give the Pioneers a 2-1 advantage.

After taking the first set 21-15, Lauren Williams and Alanis Mendez could not finish off the Pioneers, falling 21-18 in the second set before dropping the final set 15-6 and clinching the match for Tusculum.

Mia Toribio and Morgan Siwiec shook off slow starts in both sets of their match, but would ultimately fall in two sets 21-16 and 21-18 to give Tusculum the 4-1 win.

The beach volleyball program has now gone a combined 13-12 in the past two seasons after going just 3-27 in 2019.