Eagles have a chance to put signature on their record with two ranked matchups
February 26, 2026

Eagles have a chance to put signature on their record with two ranked matchups

Carson-Newman Women’s tennis will play three matches in the next six days. This schedule includes their conference opener against Lenoir-Rhyne, plus two ranked battles against #7 North Georgia and #6 Catawba.

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman Women's tennis will play three matches in the next six days. This schedule includes their conference opener against Lenoir-Rhyne, plus two ranked battles against #7 North Georgia and #6 Catawba.

Women's tennis has generally taken care of business in the opening part of the season. Through five matches, the Eagles are 3-2, and have taken at least a point off every opponent they have played. C-N will be entering the week fresh off a loss to Middle Georgia State.

With a good portion of the non-conference matches finished, C-N will look to their conference opener of February 28th against Lenoir-Rhyne.

"We need to leave behind the lack of confidence and focus in our singles. I think there's moments where even our top lines have won a set very easily, took what we call a second set vacation. And it goes to a third for no reason," said head coach Nate Gangelhoff.  "We can still have a little bit better focus and keep our intensity all the way. I want to leave that aside."

Lenoir-Rhyne is 3-0 in their matches this season. They have dominated with 6-1 wins over Francis Marion and Converse, plus a 4-0 win over Anderson in the conference opener.

"For LR specifically, we're going to have to bring it," said Gangelhoff. "They're a little underrated. I think they're a little sneaky good. If we're not all the way there, they'll steal some matches for us. So we'll have to be very, very focused and be able to win when the opportunity presents itself."

Carson-Newman took down LR 4-2 last season in Jefferson City, and owns a 10-6 record against the Bears all-time. The last time the Eagles won in Hickory was in March of 2022.

Lenoir-Rhyne was projected to finish 8th in the conference preseason poll, five slots below C-N. Carson-Newman received 108 points while the Bears received 70.

Two days later, the Eagles will travel to #7 North Georgia for their first chance at a ranked opponent. When the season began, the Nighthawks were ranked #3 in the NCAA, falling to #7 after losses to #7 West Florida and #6 Catawba. Otherwise, UNG is 4-2 on the season.

"That will be a very good test for us to kind of see how good we are and how good maybe we can be," said Gangelhoff. "That could be a match where, again, if we're feeling confident with doubles, and our top 3, maybe even our 4 or 5, if they feel confident, they can go into that match feeling very confident about themselves and hopefully that carries over to Catawba."

The Eagles have been led in both singles and doubles by senior captain Hala Awad and freshman Kerrigan Spiers. The pair is 3-0 in their doubles matches, and both are undefeated in singles.

"I remember when I recruited her [Kerrigan Spiers] down in Florida and watching her play, and I've told her this too, I just kept thinking to myself, I do not want to go against that," Gangelhoff said. "The energy she brings, the intensity she brings, the focus that she brings as a freshman is pretty impressive."

The Eagles will need all the energy they can get in both singles and doubles. The Nighthawks roster consists of the #19 and #21 doubles teams in the nation (3rd and 4th regionally). However, the Nighthawks have lost the last two doubles points they've played in a row. Over the winter, UNG also lost half of the doubles pair that was ranked #19 and the 12th best player in Division II after Vasilissa Kupriyanova transferred. However, UNG still holds the 5th and 7th-place singles slots in the Southeast region.

The Eagles are 1-13 against UNG all-time with their lone win coming in the very first matchup between the two back in 2009. Its been 17 years since C-N has grabbed a victory over North Georgia.

Finally, the Eagles will round out their three-match road trip with a match against the reigning SAC Champions, #6 Catawba. The Catawba Indians are 3-1 this season; their lone blemish was a 2-4 loss to #2 Nova Southeastern. Since Catawba has beaten #3 North Georgia and #4 Flagler.

Last year, C-N suffered an 0-4 loss to Catawba in Jefferson City. The Eagles, though, are 9-6 against Catawba all-time, and their last road loss to Catawba was in 2019.

"There are some players on there that we know and that we think we can definitely test," said Gangelhoff. "With Catawba, it's being able to say, hey, regardless of the result, we feel good about our game."

Catawba has the #11 and #16 doubles team in the nation. Sofia Antolini is the #1 singles player in the region and 9th nationally. She is followed closely by teammate Ami Miya, who is 3rd in the Southeast and #19 nationally. Rin Igarashi is also ranked #11 regionally.

Carson-Newman kicks off their first of three matches this week no sooner than 1:30 on Friday, February 26, 2026 in Hickory. For updates, follow @CN_Eagles on X and Instagram, or check cneagles.com for full coverage.

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