JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman volleyball (5-7, 2-4 SAC) held the nation's ninth best serving team to one ace in a 3-0 sweep (25-12, 25-16, 25-18) of Lees-McRae (7-8, 4-3 Conference Carolinas) Tuesday night at Holt Fieldhouse. 

Sophomore setter Kristen Pickett (Cleveland, Tenn.) dished out 31 helpers, a season high for a three set match. 

Pickett connected with four different Eagle attackers who finished with more than five kills.  Lauren Santarelli (Colorado Springs, Colo.) had a match high 10 kills.

"We moved Rachael Bowlin (Morristown, Tenn.) to the defensive side," Carson-Newman head coach Shannon Mincey said. "We shifted her into just defense after we heard how good of a service team they were. It's hard to play both roles and she really did a nice job."

Bowlin finished with seven digs, while Kristina Hill (Lake Orion, Mich.) finished with a career high nine digs. 

While the Eagles kept the Bobcats in check on serve, Carson-Newman turned the tables on Lees-McRae for the category.  For the third consecutive contest, the Eagles produced at least 10 service aces as a team, finishing with 10 versus LMC. 

Pickett took the match high for the stat with four, while Rachel Harper (Chattanooga, Tenn.) finished with three. Harper had seven services runs in the match that lasted at least three points. 

Mincey said Harper made it tough for the Bobcats to side out.

"Harper's really focused as a server," Mincey said. "Last year she'd get back to serve and I'd close my eyes and hope that it went over.  This year, I can't wait for her to serve. (Harper, Pickett and Angelle Hayes) really put them out of system."

Lees-McRae hit .079 for the match while the Eagles blasted away at .250.  The Bobcats attack percentage was in part a product of the Eagles block.  Carson-Newman blocked nine balls as a team, 3.5 of them going to Sabina Papala (Laziska Gorne, Poland). 

The Eagles finish their four-game homestand 2-2.  Carson-Newman heads to the road for the next 17 days.  The Eagles play Thursday night at Milligan at 7.  The six-game road swing ends when Newberry comes to Holt Fieldhouse Oct. 19. 

-CN-