Two sand volleyball duos earn bids in NCSVA World Series of Beach Volleyball
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman volleyball alums Rachel Harper (Chattanooga, Tenn.) and Kristen Pickett (Cleveland, Tenn.) and rising juniors Eileen Anderson (Pittstown, N.J.) and Taylor Lowe (Franklin, Tenn.) each won regionals qualifiers to earn a spot in the National Collegiate Sand Volleyball Association’s tournament at the World Series of Beach Volleyball.
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman volleyball alums Rachel Harper (Chattanooga, Tenn.) and Kristen Pickett (Cleveland, Tenn.) and rising juniors Eileen Anderson (Pittstown, N.J.) and Taylor Lowe (Franklin, Tenn.) each won regionals qualifiers to earn a spot in the National Collegiate Sand Volleyball Association's tournament at the World Series of Beach Volleyball.
Harper and Pickett won the Nashville regional for a second straight year while Anderson and Lowe took top honors in the New Jersey regional.
"I was lucky enough to not only play but end up winning with my roommate," Anderson said. "We had to fight the wind most of the day but we learned, adjusted, and used it to our advantage. Aggressive serving and ball control was key to our success."
Lowe said the two weren't even thinking about competing in the tournament and that it was a last-minute decision to play.
"We got quality touches and learned to play better in different conditions like the wind," Lowe said. "We focused on ball control the entire time and it definitely helped us control our side of the game."
Meanwhile, in the Nashville regional, Pickett said the pair relied on last year's experience to help make it back-to-back regional wins.
"I didn't think we played well at all," Pickett said. "However, we knew what we had to do to pick up another win. We were fortunate to just play well enough to squeak out the title."
Both pairs are now eligible to compete at the National Collegiate Sand Volleyball Association's tournament at the World Series of Beach Volleyball in August.
