BRISTOL, Tenn. – Carson-Newman (3-3) won its first match of the King University Invitational over Trevecca Nazarene in five sets and fell to the host school in four starts in the first day of play in the tournament.

In a match where teams alternated sets, the Eagles captured the fifth and decisive game to defeat Trevecca Nazarene 20-25, 25-15, 22-25, 25-18 and 15-13.

King University 3  Carson-Newman 1

The two schools traded points in the opening frame until King University won six of the final eight points after the score was tied at 19 to capture the first set. Rachel Harper and Emily Schultz led the way with four kills each.

Another tight stanza ensued as neither side led by more than three points in the second set. With the score tied at 23, the Tornado took the final two points on kills by Maribeth Kern and Kelsey Griffitts.

Four different Eagles had at least three kills in the set including four from Harper and three from Schultz, JaLesa Beaver and Jessica Sokol.

Carson-Newman staved off elimination in another back-and-forth third set. This time, the Eagles won the final two points on kills by Harper and Beaver.

The team hit .190 as a unit and recorded two blocks. Setter Kristen Pickett dished out nine assists while Kianna Sedlacek tallied nine digs.

With the score tied at three, King went on an 11-2 run to grab control of the fourth set. The Tornado hit .333 while holding the Eagles to a .026 clip.

Schultz finished a kill behind a career-high with 13 kills on a .265 hitting percentage tying Harper for the team lead. Harper finished with her fourth double-double of the season as she recorded 12 digs.

Pickett fell a dig short of a double-double as she notched 32 assists with nine digs.

Sedlacek set a new career-high with 18 digs while libero Taylor Lowe scooped 13 balls.

Carson-Newman finishes the King University Invitational Saturday against North Greenville at 10 a.m. and Lees-McRae at 2:30 p.m.