AUGUSTA, Ga. – In an evenly matched statistical effort, Carson-Newman produced at key times to score a sweep, 25-19, 25-23 and 25-20, Saturday afternoon at Christenberry Fieldhouse as the Eagles get back above .500 on the year.
"We are a really fun team to watch," Carson-Newman coach Dave Franklin said. "Our players took courageous shots today and showed awesome persistence this weekend. Our execution from the service line today was the best I've seen in my time here. It was the difference in the match. Our bench's unselfishness was on full display again which only fuels our team to compete hard! It will be fun to watch this season progress."
It was the fourth time the two clubs have met on a neutral floor as Carson-Newman (4-3) remains unbeaten in such games and beats Augusta (8-2) for the 11th time in the last 13 overall meetings.
It was an ominous start to the day as the Jaguars won seven of the first eight rallies. The Eagles responded by going on a 14-3 run to take a 15-10 edge. Overall it was a 19-5 sequence to push the lead to 20-12 as Kendall Cooley (Castle Rock, Colo.) ended the frame with a smash after a late push from the home side.
Once again, Augusta started a set with aplomb winning five of the first seven before the Eagles came back to tie the score at seven. Following a kill from Savanna Gonzales, C-N reeled off five straight points to go on top 12-8. It was a 15-11 when the Jaguars rattled off a 10-2 spurt to take a 22-17 score. Eight of the final nine went to the visitors as an attack miscue from Blair Bolton capped the comeback and make it a 2-0 lead.
In the third game, the Eagles started hot immediately with the first four points and nine of the first 12. Augusta crept back into the contest to pull within four at 22-18 and 23-19 but a service ace from Marnie Streeter (Goldvein, Va.) put the match on ice.
Carson-Newman produced a .156 hitting percentage with 37 kills, 62 digs, 11 aces and seven blocks while Augusta registered a .133 mark on 36 smashes, five aces and six rejections.
Megan Oldenburger (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) was the only player on either side to notch double-digit kills as the sophomore tallied 15 kills with 11 digs. Streeter added seven kills and a pair of blocks.
On the block line, Morgan Ballard (Weaverville, N.C.) paced both sides of the net with 27 digs. Elena Vasquez (Riverside, Calif.) handed out 18 assists while recording eight digs.
McKenzey Beck nearly stuffed the stats for a triple-double as she finished with 17 assists, nine digs and eight blocks, a number that led the Jaguars.
Cheryke Brian-Garmos produced a double-double with 15 assists and 10 digs. Holland Martin led the team 15 scoops and Gonzales finished with 13 digs and seven kills.
The non-conference slate is in the books for the 2018 season as the Eagles turn their attention to South Atlantic Conference play starting on Friday at Newberry with a 7 p.m. first serve.
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