VIDEO: Natalie Harris Interview
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – For the 10th time in program history, the Carson-Newman Eagles (21-3, 14-1 South Atlantic Conference) secured a 20-win season defeating the Queens (N.C.) Royals (8-13, 6-9 SAC) 25-14, 25-22, 22-25 and 25-18 and the Columbus State Cougars (3-20) 25-17, 25-19 and 25-12 Saturday at Holt Fieldhouse.
It is the second straight 20-win season for Carson-Newman and the sixth 20-win year recorded over the last decade by the Eagles with the program advancing to the NCAA Tournament each of the last four times.
Match No. 1 – Carson-Newman 3, Queens (N.C.) 1
With the score tied at six and senior outside hitter Sara Fairley (Charlotte, N.C.) on serve the Eagles reeled off six straight points to take control of the set. Carson-Newman continued to add to its lead while allowing Queens to win back-to-back points just one time the rest of the way. Consecutive attack errors by Meredith Jones closed out the opening set.
The second stanza saw the two teams be tied on the scoreboard 10 times with three lead changes including a tie score at 22 when Carson-Newman won the final three points of the frame and took a 2-0 lead in the contest on a kill by senior outside hitter Molly Locke (College Grove, Tenn.).
The Eagles hit -.071 in the third set as Queens notched six blocks. Carson-Newman fell behind 18-10 and were on the verge of elimination trailing 24-16 before a 6-0 spurt closed the gap to two points, but Jones smacked a ball to the ground to keep the Royals in the match.
The lead for the home team was two points at 7-5 when an 8-2 run allowed the Eagles to seize control of the fourth set going ahead 15-7. The closest the Royals would get the rest of the way was five points on just one occasion as freshman middle blocker Natalie Harris (Monroe, N.C.) found the surface to end the match.
"They are a big physical team," Carson-Newman coach Dan Ahiers said. They may be the biggest, strongest team in our conference and when they are in system they hammer balls. We have to pass perfectly against a team like that so we can spread so their big blockers can't key on someone in particular."
Locke led all players with 16 kills in the match while hitting .289 with nine digs. Fairley finished with 12 kills and Harris tallied 11. Sophomore setter Anna Patton (Franklin, Tenn.) notched 35 assists and seven digs on the day while junior libero Taylor Lowe (Franklin, Tenn.) led the team with 13 digs while recording a pair of service aces.
"Our serve-receive and our defense," Harris said of the success at the net during the day. "Our back row is amazing and our setters are obviously giving us amazing balls. We are attributing all of that to them. We are just getting really great balls to swing at."
Jessica Raines and Meredith Jones each finished with 10 kills in the contests for Queens as Jones had a double-double with 10 kills and 13 digs. Annika Jones also had a double-double with 16 assists and 12 digs.
Carson-Newman finished with 54 kills, 52 digs, nine service aces and five blocks as a unit compared to 39 kills, 57 digs, seven service aces and 11 blocks. The Eagles hit .211 compared to a .107 clip for the Royals.
Match No. 2 – Carson-Newman 3, Columbus State 0
After taking an early 3-1 lead, the Eagles needed a 7-2 run after the Cougars tied the score at five to take control of the opening set. The second 7-2 jaunt of the set put the home team on top 21-12 giving the Eagles plenty of separation as a kill by junior middle blocker Maddie Borch (Walnut Creek, Calif.) closed out the first set.
Columbus St. surged out to a 3-1 edge to start the second stanza before a 10-2 explosion by Carson-Newman gave the Eagles an 11-5 lead. The Cougars cut the deficit to three points at 15-12 but the Eagles responded with a 5-2 run to regain a six-point advantage. A kill from Harris sealed a six-point second set victory.
The Cougars were held to a -.036 attack percentage in the third frame but held an 8-6 lead. At that point, Carson-Newman used a 14-3 outburst to capture control of the contest and go ahead 20-11. A service ace by junior libero Eileen Anderson (Pittstown, N.J.) sealed a sweep.
"It was really nice to watch Columbus St. play against Queens especially a five-set match," Ahiers said. "We really got to scout them and knew what they wanted to do. We came out with a really good game plan and we executed it."
The lone player to rack up double-digit kills in the match was Locke who finished with 11 on a .409 attack percentage with seven digs. Harris and Fairley each had eight kills. Patton finished with 34 assists while freshman libero Megan Morris (Mount Pleasant, S.C.) led all players with 13 digs.
The leader for the Cougars was Savannah Miller's six kills as setter Cori Ehmen had 17 assists and 10 digs.
Carson-Newman padded the stats with 38 kills, 49 digs, 10 service aces and three blocks while hitting .337. Columbus St. had 25 kills, 37 digs, three blocks and two service aces while being held to a .040 attack percentage.
The three matches this weekend capped Carson-Newman's annual Dig Pink event inside of Holt Fieldhouse to raise money and awareness for breast cancer.
"It was absolutely fantastic," Ahiers said of the Dig Pink weekend. "I think we raised over $5,000 the last two days. We sold a bunch of t-shirts and donations. The girls went out and got a lot of donations so they were playing for something bigger than themselves this weekend and I'm really proud of them."
Carson-Newman travels to Lincoln Memorial for a midweek contest against the Railsplitters Tuesday night at 7 p.m. The Eagles needed five sets to knock off Lincoln Memorial on September 22 at Holt Fieldhouse.
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