Carson-Newman Volleyball Defeats Lenoir-Rhyne, 3-2, In A South Atlantic Conference Thriller Friday Night
HICKORY, N.C. - The Carson-Newman College Volleyball Team (10-5, 4-1 SAC) battled back twice and outlasted Lenoir-Rhyne University (13-6, 1-3 SAC) Friday night at Shuford Memorial Gymnasium in South Atlantic Conference action. Senior middle Katie Troyer (Plain City, Ohio) posted her 1,000th kill as a Lady Eagle during the match.
HICKORY, N.C. - The Carson-Newman College Volleyball Team (10-5,
4-1 SAC) battled back twice and outlasted Lenoir-Rhyne University
(13-6, 1-3 SAC) Friday night at Shuford Memorial Gymnasium in South
Atlantic Conference action. Senior middle Katie Troyer (Plain City,
Ohio) posted her 1,000th kill as a Lady Eagle during the match.
"L-R served very tough and we struggled to get out of some
rotations," said Head Coach Shannon Mincey after the match. "Our
setters used our middles well for first-ball transitions and helped
us get through the rough spots."
Lenoir-Rhyne took a 1-0 match lead after battling hard during the
first set and coming back from three points down (21-18) to take
the set by a 25-22 score.
C-N equalized in the second stanza as the Lady Eagles put together
a six-point run early in the set to tie the score at nine.
Carson-Newman used two more four-point stretches later in the set
to win, coming back from being down 22-18.
In the third frame, L-R took the lead for a second time behind a
combined 11 kills from Lindsay Cantu (Orlando, Fla.) and Jordan
Ledford (Newton, N.C.) and the pair tallied six and five kills,
respectively.
The Lady Eagles knotted the match score at two sets apiece during
the fourth set behind Troyer's milestone attack. The senior
recorded five of her 17 kills during the stanza and her 1000th came
at as C-N took a 12-7 lead.
In the fifth and deciding set, Carson-Newman used a .438 attack
percentage (7-0-16), the team's best of the evening, to defeat L-R
in the largest victory margin of the match. The block was also a
big part of the Lady Eagles' win in the fifth set, as they put four
Bear attacks back into the L-R side of the court.
Troyer led the way for C-N offensively with 17 kills and added five
blocks. Junior outside hitter Carly Mozgai (Greensboro, N.C.) and
freshman middle Jasmine Clark (Pelham, Ala.) tallied 10 kills each
while Clark posted a match-high eight blocks.
Senior setter Stephanie Cutter (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) added 41
assists and 12 digs while freshman libero Angelle Hayes (Brentwood,
Tenn.) led all players with 24 digs as well.
Lenoir-Rhyne was led offensively by Cantu with a match-high 18
kills as she completed the double-double with 12 digs. Ledford and
Chelsea Hill (Lexington, N.C.) added 14 and 12 kills respectively
as well for the Bears. Meredith Lutz (Newton, N.C.) dished-out 51
assists and racked up 14 digs of her own for L-R while Marrissa
Church (Statesville, N.C.) added 15 digs despite the loss.
"It took time to get in a rhythm but our blockers were the key to
our success as they helped us gain momentum," Mincey added as the
Lady Eagles posted a season-high 16 blocks in the match. "We had so
much production from everyone tonight. We now have to look to
tomorrow and focus our efforts toward Brevard."
Carson-Newman will travel to Brevard , N.C. Saturday to take on
Brevard College in SAC action with a 1:00 p.m. start while L-R will
remain at home to face Lincoln Memorial at 2:00 p.m.
