JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. - Riding a string of five straight sweeps having not lost in 21 days, Carson-Newman returns to Holt Fieldhouse for the second meeting of the year with South Atlantic Conference rival Lincoln Memorial at 6 p.m.
The Eagles have recorded five sweeps in a row for the first time since recording six straight from Sept. 1-8, 2007 during a season where the team 13 straight to begin the year, nine coming in straight sets.
Carson-Newman (15-2, 8-1) is looking for its best 10-match start to the league slate since 2015 when the unit opened the year 14-1 gliding to an 18-4 league finish before winning the region championship. So far this year the team has lost seven sets in SAC action, the same amount dropped by the club in 2015.
Tuesday night will be the 56th time C-N has battled Lincoln Memorial trailing the series 32-23. However the Eagles have won each of the last six since being swept on Oct. 30, 2018.
When the teams clashed for the first time in 2022 on Sept. 6, Julia Wheeler paved the way for the Eagles with 17 kills and 15 digs in a sweep victory as the team hit .219 for the match. Overall there were 20 ties and nine lead changes on the night during a four-set win.
The Railsplitters had won three out of four matches before closing September with losses to Mars Hill, Anderson and Newberry. Tuesday is just the fifth true road match of the year for the team with the club holding a 1-3 mark with the lone win coming in four sets at Limestone on Sept. 9.
At the service line, the Railsplitters rank 270th out of 280 teams nationally with 1.12 service aces per set recording four matches out of 16 affairs with five or more in a match. Since tallying a season-high 10 against Kentucky State on Sept. 3, the club has posted less than three on average over its last nine.
Foes have found great success at the night averaging a .219 hitting percentage putting LMU 246th in the nation in the category. Nine teams have hit at least .219 with four hitting greater than .313. All but two teams have hit at least .100 and the 'Splitters have lost every match when an opponent hits .174 or better.
Conversely, coach Christine Phillips's team is 10th in the league with 10.16 kills per set and the team has only hit .200 or better twice this season. LMU has posted at least a .100 hitting margin in every match for the year but has double-digit attack misfires in all but a nine-error effort at Trevecca Nazarene on Aug. 27.
Three players are posting at least two kills per set led by Kristen Moehring's 2.58. The junior recorded seven against the Eagles but has double digits in seven of her last nine after having one in the first seven contests of the year. She has been efficient in that stretch hitting better than .200 six times.
Fans can use their FloSports subscription or sign up for one to watch the every contest all season long. Follow along to @CN_Eagles on Twitter and Instagram for in-game updates.
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