Lady Eagles handle Brevard to end regular season, 3-1
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. — The Carson-Newman College Volleyball team ended its regular season with a win Saturday night, downing South Atlantic Conference rival Brevard College 3-1 at Holt Field House.
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. — The Carson-Newman College Volleyball team ended its regular season with a win Saturday night, downing South Atlantic Conference rival Brevard College 3-1 at Holt Field House.
C-N took the victory 25-9, 22-25, 25-18 and 25-23 over the Tornados. The Lady Eagles finish their season schedule with a 17-13 overall record and a 7-11 mark in the SAC. Brevard is 8-23 this season and 0-18 in the conference.
The win helpmakes C-N the No. 8 seed in the SAC Tournament beginning Friday, Nov. 11 at Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tenn. The Lady Eagles will face top-seeded Wingate in the opening round.
The undefeated Lady Bulldogs (27-0, 18-0 SAC) were ranked No. 2 in the NCAA Division II Southeast Region poll released on Oct. 27. Carson-Newman was ranked seventh. The top eight teams in the region will get an invite to the NCAA Tournament. The Lady Eagles under head coach Shannon Mincey have made three straight NCAA appearances.
Carson-Newman cruised through the opening game, with sophomore setter Courtney Lawson (Chattanooga, Tenn.) getting the job done at the service line, winning six straight points. Junior libero Angelle Hayes (Brentwood, Tenn.) continued her return from injury, willing five service points in the first game and leading both teams in total digs with 17.
The Lady Eagles dropped the second set after falling behind early. The Tornadoes were able to keep a two-to-three point lead most of the game, with C-N taking the lead only once, 13-12 on an Ashley Ferris (Knoxville, Tenn.) kill.
Tied 1-1, the Lady Eagles got the job done at the net in the third set. Sophomore Rachel Harper (Chattanooga, Tenn.) and freshman Lauren Santarelli (Colorado Springs, Colo.) recorded multiple kills as C-N continued building on its lead throughout the game.
Brevard made it interesting in the fourth and final set, tying the game 23-23 with a kill from Joy Oswalt.
The Lady Eagles didn't wilt, winning the next two points on a kill from senior rightside hitter Carly Swisher (Fort Collins, Colo.) and an attack error from Brevard. Swisher led both teams with 19 kills. Harper finished with 12 kills and Santarelli had 10. Lawson finished with 11 digs.
Ashlie Morrison led Brevard with 13 kills. Lindsey Rogers had 16 digs and Bethany Stevenson recorded 12 digs.
