Carson-Newman volleyball prepares for home matches against Queens and Catawba at Holt Fieldhouse.
VIDEO: Dave Franklin Interview
Carson-Newman Volleyball Match Notes
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Having dropped six straight matches, Carson-Newman plays host to Queens (N.C.) Friday night at 7 p.m. and Catawba Saturday evening at 5 p.m. at Holt Fieldhouse for matches involving South Atlantic Conference teams.
"Judging by the energy in practice, it's still good," Carson-Newman volleyball coach Dave Franklin said of the team's mindset. "After the loss the other night, I still see encouraging signs. It's not an excuse anymore, we are still a young team and we are improving. It has to be the motivating factor for us. The energy last night [in practice] was there. The focus was there. We just have to keep pushing. As long as that is there, I'm excited and energetic to go into practice. I have to give them credit for coming in the next day, every day."
Carson-Newman (1-10, 1-6) has won four straight meetings against Queens (8-3, 5-1) as Friday is the ninth all-time meeting between the two programs with C-N ahead 6-2.
In the most recent meeting on Oct. 24, 2015, 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.
Queens enters the weekend having won seven of its last eight matches with the lone blemish coming against undefeated Wingate on Sept. 16, a four-set setback. Four of the wins have come in five sets. The Royals are 4-0 on the road this season
Preseason first-team All-SAC selection Meredith Jones is leading the charge ranking second in the league in kills (168) and kills per set (3.65).
The Royals have won back-to-back SAC Specialist of the Week honors. Sydney Kunz won the honor last week as she ranks fifth in the league with 9.39 assists per game. She has five double-doubles on the year. Megan Mancini is the most recent honoree ranking eighth in the league with 4.43 digs per set.
Queens is the league leader in blocks per set averaging 2.43 to rank 10th in the nation. With a .200 team hitting percentage, the Royals are third in the league.
Catawba (5-7, 3-4) holds the edge in the all-time series at 32-26 despite Carson-Newman riding a six-match winning streak. The last win in the series for the Indians came at Holt Fieldhouse on Nov. 9, 2012 in a five-set contest.
In the last contest on Oct. 23, 2015, The Eagles finished with a season-high 12 service aces but committed 21 service errors. Carson-Newman finished with 63 kills on a .177 attack percentage, 76 digs and seven blocks while Catawba had 37 kills on a .115 hitting percentage, 77 digs and 11 blocks.
After a three-match losing streak, Catawba has won three of its last four matches and has one victory in three true road affairs. On Sept. 6, the Indians toppled Lenoir-Rhyne in five sets winning the fifth set 15-6.
Setter Rachel Stanford is fourth in the conference with 9.51 assists per set as her team ranks seventh in the league in attack percentage hitting .168 in conference matches.
Both matches will be broadcast in high definition beginning five minutes prior to the first serve on the Eagle Sports Network. Visit cneagles.com/live for the link to the broadcasts. Former C-N player Lindsey Wells joins the broadcast team Friday evening as a color commentator.
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