Oldenburger, Streeter power Eagles through Tornado

Oldenburger, Streeter power Eagles through Tornado

VIDEO: Match Highlights

Box Score (PDF)

HARROGATE, Tenn. – Megan Oldenburger and Marnie Streeter combined for 30 kills to lead Carson-Newman to a season-opening 17-25, 25-19, 25-15 and 25-16 victory over King Friday afternoon at Mary Mars Gym.

It is the 12th time in the last 14 years that Carson-Newman (1-0) has won its season opener with wins in each of its last three outings. The Eagles have now beaten King (0-1) in 16 of the last 20 meetings between the two programs.

Oldenburger produced her 25th career double-double pounding out 16 kills and 16 digs adding a pair of service aces. Streeter surged down the stretch with 14 total blasts hitting .211 while picking up seven scoops.

Overall, coach Dave Franklin's crew hit .156 with 47 kills, 74 digs, nine blocks and nine service aces compared to a .121 mark from King, 39 kills, 71 digs, six blocks and two aces.

Morgan Ballard (Weaverville, N.C.) led all players with 28 digs while Elena Vasquez (Riverside, Calif.) handed out 20 assists with seven digs and three aces. Madison Rademacher (Broomfield, Colo.) tallied the eighth double-double of her career with 15 assists and 10 digs.

The two sides traded leads early but with the Eagles holding a 13-12 edge, King rattled off five unanswered to take a lead that it would never relinquish. Franklin's flock closed to within two once the rest of the way as the Tornado won the final five behind seven smashes from Julie Ward.

In the second game, neither club held larger than a two-point lead until Carson-Newman scored four straight to expand its lead to 21-16 on a kill from Kaina Roehrkasse (Fort Collins, Colo.). The Eagles made the lead stand up winning the game on a tip inside the 10-foot line by Streeter.

Behind four blocks and an efficient offense, C-N was able to run away with the third game breaking a 5-5 tie with a 5-2 spurt. King closed a seven-point deficit to three on an ace from Ward but the Eagles responded by taking nine of the final 11 to seize control of the match.

The Eagles won the first three and seven of the first nine points of the fourth frame to take control early. King chipped away at the deficit getting within a pair at 12-10 only to see C-N win eight of the next nine. A reflexive tap from Rademacher clipped the net and smacked the ground on match point to seal the first win of the year.

Ward was held to eight kills in the final three sets to finish with 15 total on the day with 19 digs. She was the lone player in double figures offensively. Keri Ricker had 22 assists and Sydney Pigage added 22 digs from the back row.

The Eagles get a short break before hitting the court again at 5 p.m. Friday evening against USC Aiken to wrap up the first day of the 2019 season.

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