SALISBURY, N.C. – The Carson-Newman College Volleyball Team (20-8, 11-4 SAC) secured second place in the 2009 South Atlantic Conference Regular Season as it defeated Catawba College (16-10, 9-7 SAC) by a 3-1 (21-25, 25-21, 25-18, 29-27) score Saturday afternoon at Goodman Gymnasium. The Lady Eagles also achieved their fourth 20-win season under the tutelage of sixth-year Head Coach Shannon Mincey and their seventh since 2001.

The Lady Eagles and Lady Catawba Indians battled back and forth in the first set until Catawba was able to reel off seven of nine points in a stretch to take a 22-16 lead. Although C-N tallied three straight points late, Catawba held on for the win and the 1-0 match lead.

Carson-Newman responded in the second set by hitting .331 (16-3-35) compared to Catawba’s .156 (13-6-45) mark. Senior middle Katie Troyer (Plain City, Ohio) had seven kills on 10 attacks with no errors in the frame to lead the Lady Eagles. With the score tied at 21, C-N reeled off four straight points to take the set and tie the match score at one.

The Lady Eagles extended their lead in the third set as Troyer added six more kills. Down 4-3, Carson-Newman scored 10 of the next 11 points to break away. Another four-point run by C-N later in the set gave it the cushion it needed to hold on for the 25-18 win.

The fourth and final set featured enough excitement for an entire match. Carson-Newman got out to a 12-6 lead over Catawba and kept the six-point margin until it was 22-16. However, the Lady Indians would score five straight points to close the gap to 22-21. The Lady Eagles recorded the next two points for the 24-21 advantage and three chances to put the match away.

Catawba was not about to quit as it scored four straight for the 25-24 lead and a set point of its own. The two sides traded points until, with the score 27-26 in favor of the Lady Indians, C-N was able to record three straight scores to take the set and the match.

Carson-Newman was led offensively by Troyer with 18 kills and fellow senior, outside hitter Jessica Schachleiter (Cincinnati, Ohio) with 13 kills and a match-high 24 digs. Sophomore right side Nikki James (Cookeville, Tenn.) had 11 kills and six blocks as well for the Lady Eagles.

Senior setter Stephanie Cutter (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) posted a team-high 44 assists to go along with 20 digs while freshman libero Angelle Hayes (Brentwood, Tenn.) had 21 digs of her own.

Shay Meeks (Kings Mountain, N.C.) led all players as she recorded 20 kills for the Lady Indians while Kaitlyn Whitmer (Ferrum, Va.) posted 18 kills of her own. Megan Courson dished out a match-high 46 assists and Mai Zoua Lo (Hickory, N.C.) pocketed 24 digs.

Carson-Newman will face Lenoir-Rhyne University Friday afternoon at 5:00 p.m. in the quarterfinals of the 2009 Food Lion SAC Tournament. The match will take place in Pioneer Arena on the campus of Tusculum College in Greeneville, Tenn., this year’s host for the tournament.

-Joe Matthews, C-N Sports Information