JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Sitting near the top of the South Atlantic Conference standings, No. 48 Carson-Newman (6-4, 4-1 SAC) has a big week ahead in conference play, with three conference opponents on three straight days.
"The biggest challenge is managing our fatigue going into Saturday," head coach Jon Parker said. As a team, we will need to rotate our SAs strategically."
Currently fifth in the conference standings, the weekend gives C-N a significant opportunity to climb further in the league standings with favorable results.
@Emory & Henry (2-10, 0-5 SAC)
It has been a tough stretch for the Wasps lately. They have dropped their last six matches and are still searching for their first win in South Atlantic Conference play. In its five conference matches in March, Emory & Henry has been outscored 23-6 in losses to Wingate, Lincoln Memorial, Mars Hill, Catawba, and Newberry.
In its 4-3 loss to Mars Hill on March 20th, the Wasps had their best shot to take down a conference opponent, winning the top three singles matches. However, E&H dropped the next three and lost the doubles point, resulting in a narrow defeat.
The Wasps have looked to Kartik Parhar in both No. 1 singles and doubles, and despite the record, Parhar has provided some consistency in the No. 1 spots. Parhar has posted a 7-4 record in singles in the spring season but will draw a tough test on Thursday against reigning SAC Player of the Week, Marnix Van Dalen.
The Eagles dominated the matchup a year ago, winning 6-1 at home. However, the Wasps' lone point came in a three-set victory for Parhar over Van Dalen in No. 2 singles. Van Dalen will look to bounce back against Parhar on Thursday and help the Eagles get a good start on the road.
Vs. UVA-Wise (11-4, 1-4 SAC)
Despite dropping four of their first five in conference play, the Highland Cavaliers started the season hot, winning their first ten matches. However, since that point, Wise has surrendered four of its five matches in conference play, with the lone win coming against Mars Hill on March 5th.
In their lone conference win, the Highland Cavaliers relied heavily on singles play and rattled off three straight wins to earn the 4-2 win. As a team, UVA-Wise has had a lot of success this season on the singles court, posting a 56-26 mark. However, that record has dipped since the start of conference play, as the Highland Cavaliers have an 8-14 conference record.
In the series history between the two, UVA-Wise has yet to earn a win over C-N. The most recent result came a year ago when the Eagles swept the Highland Cavaliers in dominating fashion. However, it is not a match to overlook, as Wise will come to town looking for its first-ever win over C-N on Friday.
Vs. No. 31 Wingate (7-5, 5-0 SAC)
The toughest test for C-N comes in the last match of the three-match weekend, taking on a ranked Wingate squad on Saturday morning. Unlike the Eagles, the Bulldogs will have had nine days off since their last match, a 7-0 win against Emory & Henry.
Wingate has been tested early and often this season, taking on two Division I teams in Gardner-Webb and Davidson. While losing both matches, the Bulldogs put forth competitive efforts, coming close to defeating Davidson in a 4-3 loss and putting up a fight despite a 5-2 loss to Gardner Webb.
The Bulldogs have faced a tough slate at the Division II level, especially in non-conference play. Wingate traveled to No. 16 Embry-Riddle and left with a 4-2 win. The Bulldogs also faced off with No. 4 Columbus State and came a point away from pulling off a top-5 upset, dropping the match 4-3.
The Bulldogs have been dominant in conference play, winning all five matches, including handing Catawba its first conference loss of the season last week.
In a tightly crowded conference field, C-N can make its shot at the top spot in the league with a big three matches ahead, but it will be a tough test for the Eagles, starting on Thursday at 10 AM against Emory & Henry.
