VIDEO: Dave Franklin Interview
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Coker used a 16-4 run in the third set to flip momentum and break even a 1-1 match and topple Carson-Newman 28-26, 18-25, 25-22 and 25-20 Friday night at Holt Fieldhouse in South Atlantic Conference play.
"I thought we were finding a rhythm," Carson-Newman coach Dave Franklin said of the team's adjustments in the first set. "I think we were playing a little better defense. Give them credit. They have a lot of different shots, off-speed shots and they were using them. They were just able to out-execute us. Give credit where credit is due."
Coker (12-12, 4-12) snapped a six-match league losing streak winning for the first time since Oct. 1 while Carson-Newman (3-21, 2-14) saw its losing skid reach seven.
Coker snapped a 17-set losing streak in SAC matches with a 28-26 first-set victory that saw the Cobras need seven set points to close out the frame. Carson-Newman fell behind 7-2 before working itself back into the stanza at 12-11. The Cobras responded with an 8-2 sequence to prompt a timeout from the Eagles. C-N trailed 24-20 before rattling off four straight points. After trading rallies, a net violation from C-N capped the set.
Carson-Newman started the second stanza leading 5-1 but Coker chipped away to come back and tie the score at 14. The Eagles closed on an 11-4 run to capture the set as freshman middle blocker Alex Biro (Ootlewah, Tenn.) notched six kills.
The Eagles charged out to a 10-2 lead in the third set and led 15-8 before the Cobras went on a 16-4 run to take a 24-19 lead. After C-N won three straight points, Christen Bragg hammered home her 10th kill of the match to put Coker ahead 2-1.
The Cobras took an early 9-4 lead before a timeout from the home group in the fourth set. The Eagles used a 4-1 sequence to pull within two at 15-13 before seeing the visiting team win six of seven to go ahead 21-14. C-N once again overcame three match points until Bragg closed out the match.
On the night, Carson-Newman hit .126 with 88 digs, 10 blocks and seven service aces while Coker compiled a .165 hitting clip to go along with 90 digs, 15 rejections and five aces.
Junior setter Anna Patton (Franklin, Tenn.) compiled her ninth double-double of the year with 47 assists and a season-high 17 digs. Senior libero Taylor Lowe (Franklin, Tenn.) notched 31 digs.
A trio of Eagles finished with double-digit kill efforts led by 16 from freshman outside hitter Marnie Streeter (Goldvein, Va.) coupled with her five digs and 3.5 blocks. Biro had 13 kills and sophomore middle blocker Natalie Harris (Monroe, N.C.) added 12 kills and 3.5 blocks.
Bragg tallied her third triple-double of the season finishing the night with 28 assists, 16 digs and 12 kills. Madison Bingle added 12 smashes and 15 scoops while Taylor Bray added 15 helpers and 10 digs.
The Eagles host Wingate coming off of a five-set loss at Lincoln Memorial Saturday evening at 5 p.m. at Holt Fieldhouse. Fans can follow along to the contest at cnlivestats.com and by following @CNathletics on Twitter.
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