JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Following its first win of the 2016 season, Carson-Newman is looking to continue its winning ways as in-state rival, Lincoln Memorial, makes the short drive to Mossy Creek for a 7 p.m. first serve at Holt Fieldhouse Tuesday evening.
"We got [Saturday] off," Carson-Newman coach Dave Franklin said. "The way that I look at it is that it's tough and enjoy every one of them. When the losing comes, we know what we are striving for. We got back in the gym Sunday and right before LMU gets here. It's going to be a fun one."
Since the beginning of the 2014 season, Carson-Newman (1-4, 1-0) is 24-4 inside of the friendly confines of Holt Fieldhouse. The only team in the league with a better mark at home in the league is Wingate's mark of 32-2.
Lincoln Memorial (4-1, 1-0) leads the all-time series 29-16 but has not won a match in Holt Fieldhouse since the 2013 season, a five-set thriller on Nov. 12.
The most recent matchup between the two saw the 'Splitters win in straight sets on Oct. 27, 2015 in Harrogate snapping C-N's 17-match SAC road winning streak.
Lincoln Memorial hit .358 in the match, the highest attack percentage by a Carson-Newman opponent since Wingate hit .361 on October 16, 2010.
The Railsplitters had 42 kills, 43 digs, six blocks and four service aces while the Eagles were limited to a .097 attack percentage with 35 kills, 40 digs, four aces and one block.
Kiera Holland led all players with 15 kills in the match, her second-highest total on the year while hitting .500 to go along with eight digs. Liz Brock had nine kills while Abby Cash finished with a match-high 34 assists coupled with six digs.
The lone loss of the season for the Railsplitters came in the first match of the year in Bristol, Tenn. falling in straight sets to Shorter.
LMU is one of four teams in the league with a flawless record in SAC action after topping Tusculum in five sets at home last Wednesday. Holland led all players with 21 kills while hitting .347 and Samantha Cash chipped in 18 kills on a .317 percentage.
Setter Abby Cash added 55 assists and 14 digs as she reached the 3,000-kill and 1,000-dig marks for her career. She is just the third player in LMU history to reach both thresholds joining Lauren Kiwacka and Katie Holly.
Coach Jenny Michael's group is the top blocking team in the league having recorded 2.39 rejections per set to begin the season despite just five solo blocks. Tone Gill is the team's leader ranking fourth with 1.18 per frame.
At the service line, LMU has the second-fewest service aces per set with 1.17 per frame and the least amount of total aces with 21 for the season.
Tuesday's match will have a complimentary high-definition video stream at cneagles.com/live beginning five minutes prior to the first serve as the Eagle Sports Network provides the broadcast.
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