GAFFNEY, S.C. - With two more road matches to go before playing at Holt Fieldhouse for the first time in 2022, Carson-Newman travels to Limestone to continue South Atlantic Conference play for a 2 p.m. first serve from the Timken Center.
"The biggest thing that has impressed me the most is our fire that we light on a daily basis whether it's practice or anything to do with our team," Carson-Newman coach Ashley Tiernan said. "Everything is a compeition and I think that has really gotten us in situations to win big matches and put us in a position to finish five-set games."
The Eagles are riding a eight-match winning streak, the longest since an eight-game string from Oct. 5 to Oct. 22, 2019. Carson-Newman's most recent nine-game stretch came in 2014 from Oct. 7 to Oct. 25. The longest winning streak in school history is 15 set by the 2002 team from Sept. 13 to Oct. 12.
Carson-Newman (9-1, 2-0) has its best record through the first 10 matches of the year since 2007 when the Orange and Blue rattled off 13 consecutive victories before suffering the first loss of the year.
The Orange and Blue are looking to win the first three matches of the SAC season for the first time since the Spring 2021 when it started 4-0. It would be the third time since 2015 that the team achieved that mark as the 2015 unit won the first five.
Saturday is the seventh time that Carson-Newman and Limestone (4-0, 1-0) clash on the court with the Eagles winning five of the first six including sweeps in all three contests since the Saints joined the SAC. The only time the Orange and Blue did not win came on Oct. 23, 2010 at Mossy Creek falling in four.
With a 4-0 record to open the campaign, this weekend will be the first time the team gets to hit the floor at the Timken Center starting on Friday against Lincoln Memorial. In the first weekend of action, the team needed five sets to beat Georgia College and West Virginia State. The Saints are one of the six teams in the conference to hold an undefeated mark to start SAC action sweeping Emory & Henry on Tuesday.
In 2021, the club missed the conference tournament finishing with an 11-12 record going 8-10 against the league. Limestone went 6-3 on its home floor.
Entering the weekend, coach Brandon Skweres team is one of the 23 remaining undefeated units in the country as the unit is looking for its first winning season since 2019, the last as members of Conference Carolinas going 17-11 before falling in the league tournament's semifinals.
Only Central Oklahoma takes more swings per set than Limestone's 42 with the team ranking second in the league and 25th in the country with 13.65 kills per set. Three players are producing at least three per set this year with Leilan Wilcox Nanai talling 11 in two sets played. Josie Curran is hitting .287 with 3.27 smashes per game through the opening four matches.
While the Saints are 11th in the league in aces per set with 1.12, the team ranks third with 1.94 blocks per game holding teams to a .133 hitting perentage. Gabby Wessels has been a benefactor of the defense with 5.18 digs per set, good for third in the SAC.
Fans can use their FloSports subscription or sign up for one to watch the match on Saturday and every contest all season long. Follow along to @CN_Eagles on Twitter and Instagram for in-game updates.
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