By Thomas Corhern, TTU Athletics Media Relations

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Tennessee Tech had a tough start to the 2026 beach volleyball season as the Golden Eagles ran into a buzzsaw with undefeated Carson-Newman on Friday.

The host Eagles took both matches Friday by identical 5-0 scores to improve to 7-0 on the season.

Tech (0-2) returns to action next week at the Berry Beach Kickoff, taking on host Berry College on Friday and Saturday, then LaGrange on Saturday as well.

At No. 1, MK Roberts and Vivian RoBards fell 21-9 in the first set to Paige Halcrow and Trinity Hafey, then the C-N duo saw the Golden Eagles come closer with a 21-15 result in the second set.

In the No. 2 matchup, Bailey Poppe and Kyana Gabriel challenged the C-N pair of Emerson Ahsmuhs and Ava Potts, going 21-13 and 21-10. The No. 3 series saw Cristina Rotola and Alanah Craig take Camryn Ehlers and Addie Smith to the brink in the second set, recovering from a 21-9 setback to come close at 21-19.

At No. 4, Lucy Bartee and Morgan Foy had a close 21-18 battle with Piper Jones and Zoe Mish in the first game, but the host Eagle crew claimed a 21-5 victory in the second. In the No. 5 matchup, Maggie Kamp and Kaesha Walter fought to a 21-17 loss against Madison Trondle and Kelcey Peterson, then dropped the second 21-13.

The second match saw some lineup shifts as Roberts and Gabriel battled Halcrow and Hafey to a twin 21-17 result. Jolee McLain and Poppe fell 21-14 and 21-6 to Ahsmuhs and Potts, then Rotola and Craig fell 21-19 and 21-13 to Ehlers and Smith.

Kamp and Walter were on the low end of the 21-6 and 21-16 result to Bartee and Foy, then Jones and Mish put together a battle, sending Trondle and Peterson to the third game as Tech took the first 22-20, then fell 21-13 and 15-10.

Photo | Thomas Corhern, TTU Athletics Media Relations