October 27, 2015

Railsplitters derail Eagles in first SAC road loss since 2013

HARROGATE, Tenn. – The Lincoln Memorial Railsplitters (11-11, 8-8 South Atlantic Conference) swept the Carson-Newman Eagles (21-4, 14-2 SAC) 25-12, 25-20 and 25-17 Tuesday night at Mary Mars Gymnasium. Carson-Newman had won 17 straight road matches in league action dating back to a sweep to Queens (N.C.) on November 9, 2013.

Carson-Newman

21-4, 14-2 SAC

Lincoln Memorial

11-11, 8-8 SAC

Final	1	2	3	T
Carson-Newman 21-4, 14-2 SAC	12	20	17	0
Lincoln Memorial 11-11, 8-8 SAC	25	25	25	3

Final Box Score

HARROGATE, Tenn. – The Lincoln Memorial Railsplitters (11-11, 8-8 South Atlantic Conference) swept the Carson-Newman Eagles (21-4, 14-2 SAC) 25-12, 25-20 and 25-17 Tuesday night at Mary Mars Gymnasium. Carson-Newman had won 17 straight road matches in league action dating back to a sweep to Queens (N.C.) on November 9, 2013.

The Eagles seven-match winning streak was snapped by the Railsplitters as Carson-Newman hasn't lost consecutive SAC matches since a string of three straight from November 9 to November 15, 2013.

The sweep for the Railsplitters snapped a three-match losing streak to the Eagles and was the first sweep of a Carson-Newman team since October 8, 2013.

Lincoln Memorial hit .358 in the match, the highest attack percentage by a Carson-Newman opponent since Wingate hit .361 on October 16, 2010.

"I've got to hand it to LMU," Carson-Newman coach Dan Ahiers said. "Their crowd was huge and loud. Their players wanted this match really bad and I was clearly outcoached. Jenny Michael had her team ready to play and ready to win. I didn't. I know I'll bounce back be ready to fix this every way I can. I hope our team and the leaders will be ready to put this behind us and get ready for our next match."

The Railsplitters had 42 kills, 43 digs, six blocks and four service aces while the Eagles were limited to a .097 attack percentage with 35 kills, 40 digs, four service aces and just one block.

The Eagles suffered their worst loss in a set this season in the first set. Ahiers burned a pair of timeouts before his side reached double figures falling behind 19-8. The Railsplitters won six of the final nine points to take the opening set while hitting .448 compared to .000 for the Eagles.

The beginning of the second stanza started tighter than the first and Carson-Newman took a 9-7 lead before five of the next six points went to Lincoln Memorial. The Eagles never led again despite pulling even twice. After a Lincoln Memorial timeout with the score tied at 16, the Railsplitters won six of the next eight and closed out the set on a kill from Kiera Holland.

Once again the third set was close to start with the two sides deadlocked at 12. It was at that point that the Railsplitters used an 8-1 run to take control of the contest forcing a timeout from Ahiers.

Senior outside hitter Molly Locke (College Grove, Tenn.) and junior middle blocker Maddie Borch led Carson-Newman with nine kills each as Borch also had nine digs. Sophomore setter Anna Patton (Franklin, Tenn.) finished with 29 assists and nine digs.

Holland led all players with 15 kills in the match, her second-highest total on the year while hitting .500 to go along with eight digs. Liz Brock had nine kills while Abby Cash finished with a match-high 34 assists coupled with six digs.

Carson-Newman stays on the road this weekend with a match against the co-leader in the SAC, Wingate, Friday at 7 p.m. on the Cuddy Arena floor.

- CN -