Five C-N Teams in SAC Tournament Action This Week

April 20, 2009

SAC Softball Tournament Bracket
SAC Tournament Women's Tennis Bracket
SAC Tournament Men's Tennis Bracket

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. -- The Carson-Newman men's and women's golf teams begin play in the 2009 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Tournament today at the Etowah Valley Country Club in Hendersonville, N.C.

C-N's Men's Tennis team also begins play on Monday, while softball and women's tennis open their tournaments later in the week.

The tournament kicks off with 36 holes today. A champion will be determined on Tuesday with a final round of 18 holes.

When the tournament begins, it will mark the first time in school history that C-N has both a men's and women's squad participating, with this being the first year of existence for the Lady Eagles program.

"It's exciting for Carson-Newman golf," C-N men's coach John Minor said. "Both teams will be participating for the first time in school history and both teams should be really competitive. We are looking to have a lot of fun and be very competitive."

The Eagles are familiar with the course layout at Etowah Valley Country Club as they played there last week in the rain-shortened Aramark Collegiate Invitational. C-N finished third in the event on the par 72 course.

"We played there last week and got one round out of two in," Minor said. "We know the course, and that was certainly one of the reasons to go to that golf course is to get to know it, which is hopefully an advantage."

The Eagles placed second in last year's SAC tournament, finishing 16 shots back of champion Newberry. C-N had three golfers finish in a tie for fifth place, including a pair of performers that returned this season in junior Brad Robinson (Johnson City, Tenn.) and sophomore Blake Howard (Johnson City, Tenn.). Robinson ranks third in the SAC with a 73.2 scoring average.

Minor believes his team is prepared to make a run at the title again this week.

"We are playing well," he said. "Our attitude has been good. We look forward to competing. We haven't had a lot of good weather this spring. If we've got great weather, we should do really well."

The women's program has gotten off to a solid start. The Lady Eagles turned in top three finishes in five out of the eight events they played in this season.

Lady Eagles coach Holly Cantwell believes her team can compete for the title this week.

"Everybody is really playing pretty well," Cantwell said. "This is what we worked for all year. I've told them from the start that this is the tournament that you want to get to and be prepared for. I think they are ready. If they don't let the pressure and their nerves get to them, they will be fine."

The Lady Eagles are also familiar with Etowah Valley Country Club as they played there in the Aramark Collegiate Invitational in October, finishing the tournament in second place.

"The girls know that this is a course that they like to play and they know that they have played well on it," Cantwell said. "I think this course is a really good setup for everybody. It's tricky. It's a placement course. You've got to be able to position the ball well."

Junior Sarah Jane Sinard (Jefferson City, Tenn.) and sophomore Jessica Tarbet (Corryton, Tenn.) will lead the way for the Lady Eagles. Sinard (79.9) and Tarbet (81.1) are fifth and eighth, respectively, in the SAC in scoring average.

If the Lady Eagles are to win the title in their first year, they will have to fend off defending champion Wingate and nationally ranked Newberry, which are two of the favorites heading into the tournament. Wingate is ranked ninth in the NCAA Division II South Region, while Newberry is the No. 23 team in the nation, according to the latest Golf World/NGCA Coaches' Poll.

Lady Eagles Softball Team Begins Quest to Defend SAC Tournament Title

The Carson-Newman softball team received the No. 6 seed in this week's Food Lion SAC Tournament,league officials announced Sunday.

The Lady Eagles (25-15, 9-7 SAC) won the tournament last season and will begin defense of their title on Thursday against No. 3 seed Mars Hill (25-17, 11-5) at 12:15 p.m. at Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory, N.C.

C-N and Mars Hill met in the finals of last year's SAC tournament, with the Lady Eagles winning 6-3.

C-N lost both its meetings with Mars Hill this season, but it was before Lady Eagle ace Stephanie Templeton (Ringgold, Ga.) returned to action from an eye injury. Since Templeton's return, C-N has posted a 9-3 record. She finished with a 5-1 record and a save in seven appearances in league play.

The winner of Thursday's matchup will face the winner of the matchup between No. 7 Tusculum and No. 2 Lenoir-Rhyne at 11 a.m. on Friday. The losing teams of both contests will square off at 11 a.m. at Hickory High School.

C-N Women's Tennis Earns No. 2 Seed in SAC Tournament

The Carson-Newman women's tennis team received the No. 2 seed in this week's Food Lion SAC Tournament, league officials announced Sunday.

The Lady Eagles (10-2, 7-1 SAC) open the tournament on Tuesday as they host No. 7 Lincoln Memorial (7-12, 2-6) at 2 p.m. in Jefferson City, Tenn.

C-N, which enters the tournament on a six-match winning streak, defeated Lincoln Memorial 8-1 in their matchup on April 3.

The winner of Tuesday's match will face the winner of the match between No. 6 Catawba and No. 3 Wingate on Friday at 1 p.m. at the Rock Hill Tennis Center in Rock Hill, S.C.

Tusculum (16-4, 8-0) earned the tournament's No. 1 seed. The Pioneers handed C-N its only conference loss this season on March 22 by defeating the Lady Eagles 6-3. Tusculum and C-N met in last year's SAC tournament finals. The Pioneers won the title with a 5-1 victory over the Lady Eagles.

C-N Men's Tennis to Face Mars Hill in SAC Tournament

The Carson-Newman men's tennis team earned the No. 6 seed in today's Food Lion SAC tournament, league officials announced Sunday.

The Eagles (3-9, 3-5 SAC) will square off against No. 3 seed Mars Hill (10-5, 6-2) today in a quarterfinal match at 2 p.m.

Mars Hill defeated C-N 5-1 in their regular season meeting on March 31.

The winner of today's match will face the winner of the match between No. 7 Lincoln Memorial and No. 2 Newberry on Friday at 9 a.m. at the Rock Hill Tennis Center in Rock Hill, S.C.

Carson-Newman SAC Tournament Schedule
Monday, April 20, 2009
Men's and Women's Golf - Food Lion SAC tournament at Etowah Valley, Etowah Valley, N.C. (36 holes, all day)
Men's Tennis - No. 6 Carson-Newman at No. 3 Mars Hill, 2 p.m.
SAC Tournament Men's Tennis Bracket

Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Men's and Women's Golf at Food Lion SAC tournament at Etowah Valley, , Etowah Valley, N.C. (18 holes, all day)
Women's Tennis - No. 7 Lincoln Memorial University at No. 2 Carson-Newman, 2 p.m.
SAC Tournament Women's Tennis Bracket

Thursday, April 23, 2009
Softball - No. 6 Carson-Newman vs. No. 3 Mars Hill, At Lenoir-Rhyne University, Hickory, N.C. 2:30 p.m.
SAC Softball Tournament Bracket

Friday, April 24, 2009
At Rock Hill Tennis Center, Rock Hill, S.C.
Women's Tennis - Carson-Newman/Lincoln Memorial winner vs. Wingate/Catawba winner, 1 p.m.
Men's Tennis - Mars Hill/Carson-Newman winner vs. Newberry/Lincoln Memorial winner, 9 a.m.
SAC Softball Tournament
Game 5: Carson-Newman/Mars Hill loser vs. Tusculum/Lenoir-Rhyne loser, 11 a.m. At Hickory High School, Hickory, N.C.
Game 7: Carson-Newman/Mars Hill winner vs. Tusculum/Lenoir-Rhyne winner, 11 a.m. At Lenoir-Rhyne University, Hickory, N.C.
(Refer to SAC Tournament Bracket for further schedule)

Saturday, April 25, 2009
At Rock Hill Tennis Center, Rock Hill, S.C.
Men's Tennis SAC Tournament Finals - 9 a.m.
Women's Tennis SAC Tournament Finals - 1 p.m.

2009 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Softball Tournament (Complete Schedule)
Thursday, April 23
At Lenoir-Rhyne University, Hickory, N.C.
Game 1: No. 5 Catawba vs. No. 4 Newberry, 10 am
Game 2: No. 6 Carson-Newman vs. No. 3 Mars Hill, 12:15 am
Game 3: No. 7 Tusculum vs. No. 2 Lenoir-Rhyne, 2:30 pm
Game 4: No. 8 Brevard vs. No. 1 Wingate, 4:45 pm

Friday, April 24
At Hickory High School, Hickory, N.C.
Game 5: Carson-Newman/Mars Hill loser vs. Tusculum/Lenoir-Rhyne loser, 11 am
Game 6: Catawba/Newberry loser vs. Brevard/Wingate loser, 1:30 pm
At Lenoir-Rhyne University, Hickory, N.C.
Game 7: Carson-Newman/Mars Hill winner vs. Tusculum/Lenoir-Rhyne winner, 11 am
Game 8: Newberry/Catawba winner vs. Wingate/Brevard winner, 1:30 pm
Game 9: Game 8 loser vs. Game 5 winner, 4 pm
Game 10: Game 6 winner vs. Game 7 loser, 6:30 pm

Saturday, April 25
At Lenoir-Rhyne University, Hickory, N.C.
Game 11: Game 9 winner vs. Game 10 winner, Noon
Game 12: Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner, 2:30 pm
Game 13: Game 11 winner vs. Game 12 loser, 5 pm

Sunday, April 26
At Lenoir-Rhyne University, Hickory, N.C.
Championship Game 14: Game 12 winner vs. Game 13 winner, 1 pm
Game 15 (if necessary), Game 14 winner vs. Game 14 loser, 3:30 pm