VIDEO: Ashley Tiernan Interview
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Blake Cherry tallied a double-double and Taylor Keeran filled up the stat sheet as Carson-Newman won its seventh straight match downing Lenoir-Rhyne in four sets, 25-20, 19-25, 25-13 and 25-12, Friday night at Holt Fieldhouse in South Atlantic Conference action.
"We talk about when someone is faltering somewhere we have to pick up the slack somewhere else," Carson-Newman coach Ashley Tiernan said. "No matter who it is whether it's Julia, Molly, Emmagrace or one of our setters. If they are struggling in one part of their game then someone else has to step up. As long as we continue to do that we will crush teams right and left."
The Eagles have beaten the Bears in eight of the last 10 meetings with Carson-Newman (17-2, 10-1) improving to 20-13 at home in the all-time series against Lenoir-Rhyne (12-6, 8-3).
Cherry produced her first double-digit kill effort since Sept. 3 finishing with 11 hitting .310 with 13 digs and two service aces for her fourth double-double of the year.
"This week in practice all we talked about was ownership and urgency," Cherry said. "I feel like with LR we had to come out hot. Urgency was on my mind all night. We keep preaching it – urgency. I feel like that was the reason why I played as well as I did."
Keeran finished the night with 11 smashes, matching a season high, while hitting .474 posting 6.5 total blocks, three solo and seven block assists. It was the second time she had at least five blocks in a match and the most by a C-N player since Nikki James posted 7.5 against Mars Hill on Nov. 1, 2011.
Julia Wheeler (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) finished with 13 kills, three aces and eight digs. Abbey Hildenbrand (Parker, Colo.) notched 23 assists, 16 digs and five kills. Carlee Allbaugh (Tallahassee, Fla.) added 15 assists and 14 digs with Hayden Barton (Hixson, Tenn.) chipping in 12 digs and seven assists.
1️⃣3️⃣ @juliawheerr kills
— Carson-Newman Athletics (@CN_Eagles) October 8, 2022
1️⃣6️⃣ digs and 2️⃣3️⃣ assists by @abbeyh65
6️⃣.5️⃣ @KeeranTaylor blocks
7️⃣ straight @CarsonNewmanVB wins pic.twitter.com/21f4pcuvV8
Lenoir-Rhyne came out of the gates swinging taking an early 7-3 advantage before the Eagles chiseled away tying the score six times and taking their first lead at 15-14. C-N flipped the script scoring the final four points and eight of the last 11 to take the opening game behind a .282 hitting clip.
For the first time since Sept. 13, Carson-Newman dropped a set snapping a streak of 19 consecutive sets won. The Bears started the game on a tear leading 15-5 and 19-8 before the Eagles found a rhythm winning six straight and eight of 10 to inch within 21-16 but the margin was too large as the visitors held off the charge to level the match.
The Eagles reversed roles in the third leaping out to a 7-3 edge expanding the margin to double figures never taking their foot off of the gas to cruise to a set win. C-N recorded four total blocks with a solo rejection by Keeran sealing a 2-1 lead in the match.
Falling behind 2-1 in the fourth set, the Eagles reeled off an 11-1 outburst, the last seven coming in a row to create a bulge that the Bears did not have an answer for the rest of the night. Over the final two sets, the Eagles made just two attack errors while the Bears had 18.
Lenoir-Rhyne entered ranked 28th nationally in aces per set but mustered one for the match. Ashley Hawkins registered 14 kills hitting .281 adding a match-high 21 digs. Colette Romp added 12 kills. Mackenzie Hulsey finished with 41 assists and nine digs and Bailey Carpenter finished with 20 scoops.
The Eagles return to action next Friday night at 7 p.m. traveling to Cuddy Arena to face off with No. 22 Wingate. The game can be streamed on FloSports with a subscription. Follow along on Twitter and Instagram @CN_eagles for updates throughout the match.
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