Dominating performance sends C-N to SAC semifinals
April 6, 2021

Dominating performance sends C-N to SAC semifinals

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Looking to repeat as South Atlantic Conference Tournament champions, Carson-Newman used late bursts to control Limestone in a sweep, 25-9, 25-16 and 25-12, in the quarterfinals Tuesday evening at Holt Fieldhouse.

VIDEO: Match Highlights

VIDEO: Ashley Tiernan Interview

VIDEO: Taylor Rohr Interview

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Looking to repeat as South Atlantic Conference Tournament champions, Carson-Newman used late bursts to control Limestone in a sweep, 25-9, 25-16 and 25-12, in the quarterfinals Tuesday evening at Holt Fieldhouse.

"We talked a lot about discipline and intensity," Carson-Newman coach Ashley Tiernan said. "I think that forced us to go on those runs with aggressive serves. Even with some of our missed serves, we found a big time serve and places during those spots. Sometimes you just find a rhythm and sometimes you don't. Tonight we found it and we want to make sure that we hone in on that in practice to get ready for Thursday."

For the second time in three matches, the Eagles produced a night with a .300 percentage or better powering out a season-high .352 attack margin behind 31 kills. Four players with two or more smashes did not make an attack mistake on the night.

Carson-Newman (7-3) has won six straight opening round matches in the SAC Volleyball Championships sweeping Limestone (4-6) for the second time in 2021. Holding the Saints to a minus-.075 hitting percentage, the Eagles held a team to a negative clip for the first time since Coker did so on Oct. 18, 2019, a span of 28 matches and 558 days.

Emily Harnischfeger (Macedon, N.Y.) led all players with 11 kills on the night, matching a season high, on a .350 hitting percentage with eight digs. Erin Edwards (Midlothian, Va.) blasted nine kills hitting .450. Megan Oldenburger (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) hit .500 with six kills adding 11 digs and four aces.

Taylor Rohr (Windsor, Colo.) handed out 20 assists on the night tacking on eight digs and an ace. It was the sixth time this season that the junior posted at least 20 helpers.

"I feel like our serve receive was really on point," Rohr said. "We have been working on terminating the ball first hand and I think we did a really good job of that. It's really nice to have confidence and trust in my hitters. It's super amazing to get such great passes to set them up for success."

Katie Parnell (Atlanta) racked up four total blocks including a solo rejection to tally a season high in the category leading the team to eight total blocks.

Neither side made an attack error through the first 18 rallies with C-N clinging to a 10-8 edge in the opening frame. The Eagles found an outburst rattling off 15 of the final 16 points of the game and each of the final 13 to seize control in the match after pounding out a .500 hitting percentage without a mistake on 11 kills.

It was back and forth in the second stanza until the Eagles blew open a 14-10 lead by rattling off seven straight points to go ahead 21-10. Despite five unanswered by the Saints, C-N put the set away on an ace by Madison Rademacher (Broomfield, Colo.). Limestone was limited to a minus-.240 hitting percentage in the game with nine errors and three kills.

Limestone pulled within a point in the third set at 12-11 and was within two at 14-12 when the Eagles found another big burst scoring the final 11 of the night to punctuate the sweep.

No one on the Saints roster posted an attack margin in the positive figures with Sydney Bibby leading the way with six kills. Bailey Carpenter picked out 10 digs to lead the team and Abbey Baker handed out eight assists.

The Eagles have a quick turnaround traveling to the Palmetto State to face second-seeded Anderson Thursday night at the Abney Athletic Center looking to avenge a four-set loss on Saturday. First serve is slated for 7 p.m.

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