CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – The second and final day of the Ohio Valley Challenge was far from what the Eagles could have hoped for as they fell in two more matches to close out their time in the event on Saturday.
With the pair of shutouts, Carson-Newman (0-13) ties the largest losing streak in program history, matching the 13 duals the team lost in its inaugural season in 2015. Of those 13 losses, nine have come in 5-0 deficits.
Jacksonville State (3-26) was victorious in its first-ever meeting with the Eagles with a 5-0 sweep. Host team Austin Peay (11-12) now sits with a 3-0 lead in the all-time series against C-N after winning its second matchup with the Eagles this season.
Game 1: Jacksonville State 5, C-N 0
Day two began with a loss from Catherine Cook (Morristown, Tenn.) and Lexy Headley (Sharps Chapel, Tenn.) at the No. 5 seed. The C-N pair was demolished in the first set 21-4 by Ashley Clingan and Maddie Cloutier. Cook and Headley managed to slightly advance their score but still fell 21-10 in the second set.
The new pairing of Lauren Williams (Carrolton, Ga.) and Morgan Harlan (Ladara Ranch, Calif.) appeared at the No. 4 spot. Kaylee Frear and Grace Jarnagin began the set with the intensity to win 21-11 over the Eagles' pairing. Harlan and Williams were unable to gain possession of the ball on many occasions, handing over the second set to the Gamecock duo, 21-10.
Abby Struewing (Lebanon, Ohio) and Micah Depetro (Knoxville, Tenn.) could not carry over their win from the previous day into today's match at the three-seed. Hailey Hughes and Shayla Schmidt defeated Struewing and Depetro in a rapid two-set match 21-10, 21-5, cementing the win for the Gamecocks at 3-0.
At the No. 2 position, Montgomery Sauter (Columbia, S.C.) and Aryana Fazelina (Weston, Fla.) were defeated by Cahris Ludtke and Hannah Kirk in consecutive sets. C-N's duo stayed engaged in the first set but fell 21-14 before Ludke and Kirk made long offensive strides in the second set, leaving the final score 21-10.
Katie Will and Sadie Anderson conquered Summer Coulter (El Paso, Texas) and Kelly Hughes (Woodbridge, Va.) at the No. 1 spot. Coulter and Hughes fought throughout the first set but lost 21-17 as Will and Anderson carried their momentum over into the second set to take the match 21-13.
Game 2: Austin Peay 5, C-N 0
Cook and Headley competed at the No. 5 position for the second time on the day but were unable to grasp a win. The C-N duo lost 21-12 in the first set and was demolished by Chloe Stitt and Kaylee Taff in the second set 21-4.
Grace Seymour (Hudson, Fla.) and Harlan played at the No. 4 spot, losing in back-to-back sets, 21-9 and 21-13, to Ashley Slay and Cori Theiss.
The No. 3 duo of Struewing and Depetro were defeated 21-10 in the first set by Jenna Panning and Haley Turner. The C-N side struggled to find offensive shots in the second set, leaving the score at 21-8 to put the Govs up 3-0.
Austin Peay's Brooke Moore and Nina Korfhage challenged C-N's Sauter and Fazelina in the first set, winning 21-15. Sauter and Fazelina were not ready to end the match in straight sets, fighting back with a 21-12 win over the Governor's pair to send the match into a tiebreaker. The third set was not as kind as the Orange and Blue pair lost 15-10 despite their efforts.
Coulter and Hughes made for an interesting test at the No, 1 spot against Ginny Gerig and Cecily Gable. C-N's tandem was defeated in the first set 21-19 before turning the wheels in the second set to win 21-16. Coulter and Hughes lost after forcing a tiebreaking set, finishing the match and the day with a close 15-13 set.
After a few days of practice and preparation, the Eagles will head back on the road next weekend for their final tournament of the season at the Stevenson Beach Volleyball Invitational. That two-day tournament will begin on Saturday.