VIDEO: Dan Ahiers Interview

Carson-Newman Volleyball Match Notes

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – The Carson-Newman Eagles (23-5, 18-2 South Atlantic Conference) will honor four seniors in their final regular season games as the Eagles play host to the Anderson Trojans (22-6, 15-5 SAC) Friday night at 7:00 p.m. and the Newberry Wolves (14-14, 8-12 SAC) Saturday afternoon at 3:00 p.m.

Outside hitter Rachel Harper (Chattanooga, Tenn.), setter Kristen Pickett (Cleveland, Tenn.), outside hitter Lauren Santarelli (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and middle blocker Jenna Wilson (Rancho Cucamonga, Tenn.) will all play their final home matches in a Carson-Newman uniform this weekend.

"It's a real blessing," head coach Dan Ahiers said. "To come into a program with this kind of leadership, effort, heart and desire to win. Their talent level alone is a real blessing and a load off of a first year head coach."

Harper has had one of the most prolific careers of any volleyball player racking up 1,178 kills and 1,012 digs in her career. Her 116 career service aces rank sixth in the program's history. Harper is the first player in Eagle history to be named SAC Player of the Week on three occasions, a feat she accomplished in her senior season. She currently is tied for first in the league with 4.3 points per set and second in the conference with 3.55 kills per set.

Pickett ranks second in school history with 3,694 assists and service aces with 143. She is closing in on 1,000 career digs as she sits at 991 heading into the weekend. The setter is having a season to remember as she leads the league with 10.25 assists per set, a number that currently stands sixth on the single season list. The Cleveland, Tenn. native has been named the SAC specialist of the week on three occasions this year.

Santarelli has battled injuries over her last two seasons, but has tallied 891 kills and 570 digs in her four-year career. Since returning from injury this year, Santarelli has recorded double-digit kills in four of her last six matches and has not hit lower than .250.

Wilson has played only one season in Mossy Creek but it has been one for the ages. Her current .398 attack percentage is on schedule to annihilate the best single-season mark in program history of .317 set by Katie Troyer in 2008. That marks ranks 11^th among Division II players while her 1.19 blocks per set lead the league and rank 19^th nationally.

Carson-Newman and Anderson have split the first 14 matches of the series history as the Eagles swept the Trojans on October 10. Pickett finished with 37 assists and 12 digs.

The Trojans found success by notching a .240 attack percentage against one of the best defenses in the league. Hailey Pittman, the nation's leader in attack percentage at .417, had 15 kills to lead all players.

The Eagles hold 40-7 advantage in the all-time series with Newberry, but needed five sets to take down the Wolves on October 11. Harper led Carson-Newman with 17 kills and 16 digs while Jessica King anchored Newberry with 13 kills on a .435 attack percentage.

"Anderson is a great team," Ahiers said. "They have Hailey Pittman, a really good middle. They are coached really well. We have to make sure we serve aggressively. If we force their setter off of the 10-foot line it will be tough to set Pittman. Newberry took us to five at their place. They are a real scrappy team. They are out of system a lot, but they still take heavy rips at the ball."

Each game will broadcast in high definition for free if fans go to cneagles.com/live to locate the video stream and live stats.

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