JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – The Carson-Newman Lady Eagles split a pair of volleyball matches on Saturday afternoon in Jefferson City, falling to Catawba in South Atlantic Conference play, 3-0, before beating Converse College, 3-1, in the nightcap.
Catawba 3, Carson-Newman 0
The Carson-Newman College volleyball team fought back in each game, but couldn't overtake Catawba Saturday afternoon at Holt Field House. The Lady Indians defeated Carson-Newman in straight sets, 25-20, 25-23, 25-17 in their South Atlantic Conference match up.
The Lady Indians began pulling away in the opening game early, taking an 8-4 lead on a kill from Kaitlyn Whitner. C-N got a kill from senior right side hitter Carly Swisher (Fort Collins, Colo.), but gave the serve back to Catawba on a service error. The Lady Eagles managed continual points, but had trouble stringing them together until late in the game.
Down 23-17, the C-N women got two straight points on a kill from senior middle hitter Nikiki James (Cookeville, Tenn.) on a set from sophomore setter Courtney Lawson (Chattanooga, Tenn.). An attack error from Catawba gave the Lady Eagles another point. Catawba's Shay Meeks didn't let C-N's streak continue, scoring on a kill from an assist from freshman outside hitter Lauren Santarelli (Colorado Springs, Colo.) to put the Lady Indians just a point away.
A James kill kept C-N in the game, but a kill from Ali Parrish off a Jordan Raye assist ended the first game 25-20.
The Lady Eagles again found themselves down early in the second game, trailing 8-4 again. Catawba put five straight points together to take a 13-8 lead midway through the match before an attack error from Raye ended their run.
Down 19-16, the Lady Eagles clawed their way to a tie score. C-N went on a 6-3 run, culminating in a block from James and freshman middle hitter Ashley Ferris (Knoxville, Tenn.) to even the score 22-22.
Ferris kept the Lady Eagles alive two points later with a kill from a Kristen Picket (Cleveland, Tenn.) set. It was Meeks this time that ended C-N's rally, with a kill shot to take the 25-23 victory.
Game three got away from Carson-Newman early, with the Lady Eagles falling behind 10-3. Again, the C-N women found a way back into the match, using a 9-2 run to tie the score 12-12. Junior Libero Angelle Hayes (Brentwood, Tenn.) served up four straight points during the streak.
With the score tied again, this time 13-13, Catawba's Raye won eight consecutive service points, with Raye and Taylor Doss finishing off the final two points to take a 22-14 lead. So far down, the Lady Eagles still battled back, but an attack error from Santarelli ended the final game 25-17.
Carson-Newman 3, Converse 1
The Carson-Newman College women's volleyball team made up for dropping a three-game sweep to Catawba earlier in the day with a 4-1 victory over Converse in the late game Saturday night, 25-11, 25-17, 22-25, 25-15.
The Lady Eagles are 4-1 on the season after the win. Converse falls to 1-3. Freshman outside hitter Rachel Harper (Chattanooga, Tenn.) led C-N with 12 kills, adding nine digs. Freshman Libero Blair Fields (Bluff City, Tenn.) was spectacular defensively, recording 23 digs and adding a kill of her own. Sophomore setter Courtney Lawson (Chattanooga, Tenn.) had 21 assists, two kills and three digs.
Freshman Kristen Pickett (Cleveland, Tenn.) recorded 16 assists to go with her five kills and four digs. Junior outside hitter Rachel Bowlin (Morristown, Tenn.) and freshman outside hitter Lauren Santarelli (Colorado Springs, Colo.) each had 11 digs. Bowlin added four kills and two assists. Santarelli added seven kills and two assists.
The Lady Eagles cruised through the opening two games. Converse took the lead 15-13 midway through the third set, splitting services the rest of the way before claiming a 25-22 win.
C-N closed out the match with a 7-3 run in game four, finished off with a kill from Santarelli.
