VIDEO: Davie Franklin Interview
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman concludes its regular season at Holt Fieldhouse with a match against Wingate Friday evening at 7 p.m. and Queens (N.C.) Saturday looking to close out the South Atlantic Conference slate and secure a home match in the quarterfinals of the league tournament.
"I think it's about celebrating the fact that you earned the right to be in those matches," Carson-Newman coach Dave Franklin said. "You were your tail off as an athlete to play in big matches. I think if we can enjoy the fact that we have earned the right to be in these matches and to give up these opportunities – one of which we weren't really sure would be possible but is possible. I think if we enjoy it as much as possible it takes some of the pressure off to allow us to play our best volleyball."
The Eagles will celebrate their two seniors Friday evening in a pregame ceremony as Morgan Harlan (Ladera Ranch, Calif.) and Anna Patton (Franklin, Tenn.) play their final home matches in the Orange and Blue.
"Those two have grinded it out with me," Franklin iterated. "They have helped guide me in what the team needs. They have been a huge help as we have gotten this thing turned around rather quickly. Having a lot of success, they have led these underclassmen. They are trying to show them what we are building and what our culture is. I'm really excited to thank them."
Harlan has played nearly 100 sets during her career with the Eagles and was a member of the 2015 Southeast Region Championship team. The senior posted her best match on Sept. 23, 2016 against Coker when she notched a career-high 53 assists and had 11 digs for the first double-double of her career. On Oct. 14, 2017, Harlan registered a career-high six total blocks, three solos and six assists, in a five-set win over Augusta.
Patton has made her mark on the C-N history books as she ranks third in the history of the program with 2.822 assists during her career. The two-time SAC Specialist of the Week has been honored as an all-league pick and was a member of the 2015 Southeast Region All-Tournament team for guiding the Eagles to the National Quarterfinals.
With sights set on the SAC Tournament next week, C-N can finish as high as fourth and earn an additional home match Tuesday evening. The Eagles lowest result is seventh with the unit keeping its eyes on Tusculum, Mars Hill and Lincoln Memorial this weekend.
Carson-Newman (14-12, 9-9) and Wingate (22-2, 16-2) will meet for the 61st all-time meeting as the Bulldogs have dominated the series 46-14 with wins in each of the last five matches since the Eagles won in five sets on Nov. 4, 2014.
The Eagles failed to hit over .100 in any set posting a .059 mark against a team that ranked fourth in the nation in opponent's efficiency in a three-set loss to Wingate on Oct. 6. Conversely the Bulldogs notched a .391 hitting clip making just eight errors with 42 kills.
Wingate enters the final weekend of the season in an unfamiliar spot, in second place in the league standings. The Bulldogs have won the regular season title 11 straight seasons and are one game behind Anderson. The Trojans travel to Tusculum and Mars Hill this weekend.
Coach Shelton Collier's group ranks in the top-10 in the nation in five different categories boasting the fourth-ranked kills per set team at 15.14 hitting .281, the eighth-best margin in the country. Only five times the Bulldogs have failed to produce a hitting clip over .200 and have had 13 affairs over .300 including seven of their last 11.
Katie Bludau ranks 20th in the nation with 4.22 kills per set to lead the league. Her .304 attack percentage is good for fifth in the SAC as she has posted 19 double-digit kills.
Opponents are producing a .109 attack percentage to rank eighth in the country. In 10 of the team's 24 contests, foes have failed to hit over .100 and just twice has a team registered a margin better than .200.
Queens (19-6, 13-5) has won each of the last three matches against C-N including a sweep earlier in 2017 to the within a game in the all-time series as the Eagles have won six of the 11 outings.
With 11 kills and 12 digs, Marnie Streeter led Franklin's club while Jessica Raines had 12 kills on a .323 attack percentage for the Royals. Sydney Kunz notched a double-double with 35 assists and 16 digs.
Coach Hannah Long's group opened the year 7-4 but has posted a 12-2 mark in its last 14. One of those losses came last Friday to a Catawba club that had lost 16 consecutive matches.
The Royals rank fourth in the conference and 16th in the nation with 19.25 digs per set with three players averaging at least 3.60 scoops per frame on the year.
Rebecca Cochran has missed each of the last two contests but is the team's leader in kills per net with 3.15 and digs per set with 3.99. The senior has 16 double-doubles this season with one in each of her last three outings. Her season high for kills came against Augusta on Oct. 10 with 22 while her high mark for digs is 28 set versus Tusculum on Oct. 28.
Each contest will be broadcast on cneagles.com/live as the Eagle Sports Network will provide coverage starting 15 minutes before the first serve of each outing.
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