Lander Final Box Score

GREENWOOD, S.C. – In a match decided by just six points that featured 24 ties and 11 lead changes, the Carson-Newman Eagles (15-3) swept the Lander Bearcats (16-6) Saturday afternoon at Horne Arena in the final day of the South Atlantic Conference/Peach Belt Conference Challenge.

"People will look at the stats and think it was a game dictated by offense, but I believe it was our defense that pulled us through today," Carson-Newman coach Dan Ahiers said. "Quality play at the net and our back row kept giving us opportunities to terminate the ball. It was a good weekend to go 2-1 versus some of the best teams in the Peach Belt."

The first set saw nine ties including a 15-15 score until the Eagles won three staright prompting a timeout from the Bearcats. The set was tied one final time at 23 before the Eagles captured the final two points to take the set. Senior outside hitter Sara Fairley (Charlotte, N.C.) racked up seven kills without an error to hit .389 in the opening set.

The second stanza was the closest set of the match featuring 13 ties and six lead changes. The largest lead for either side in the set was three points by Carson-Newman at 6-3. Lander used a 7-2 run to take a 10-8 advantage. The two sides exchanged punches with the Bearcats getting two set points at 24-23 and 25-24, but the Eagles stayed alive and took the set on a kill by Fairley.

Lander leaped out to a 4-0 advantage and maintained the same lead until it was 19-15. A 7-1 spurt by the Eagles gave Carson-Newman a lead that it would never give back closing out the match on a kill by junior middle blocker Maddie Borch (Walnut Creek, Calif.).

The two sides were very even across the statistics with each team tallying six blocks and 59 digs while Carson-Newman outhit Lander .258 compared to .252.

Four Eagles finished in double figures in kills led by 17 from Fairley on a .273 attack percentage. Borch finished with a career-high 14 kills, freshman middle blocker Natalie Harris (Monroe, N.C.) matched a career-high with 13 kills and senior outside hitter Molly Locke (College Grove, Tenn.) had 10 kills and 20 digs.

Sophomore setter Anna Patton (Franklin, Tenn.) finished with 51 assists marking the second time in her career she finished with a half century or more helpers.

Kendall Korte led the way for Lander with 16 kills, a .405 attack percentage and eight digs with Sophia Perkins chipping in 22 assists and five digs.

Carson-Newman is back in action on Friday with a trip to Hickory, N.C. to take on the Lenoir-Rhyne Bears in SAC action. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday evening in the Tar Heel State.

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