November 4, 2014

O’Neal and Pickett earn Astroturf SAC Player of the Week honors

ROCK HILL, S.C. – Junior middle blocker Kiayna O’Neal (Katy, Texas) was named the South Atlantic Conference Player of the Week and senior setter Kristen Pickett (Cleveland, Tenn.) took home the Co-Specialist of the Week honor for their performances in wins over Coker and No. 7 Wingate.

ROCK HILL, S.C. – Junior middle blocker Kiayna O'Neal (Katy, Texas) was named the South Atlantic Conference Player of the Week and senior setter Kristen Pickett (Cleveland, Tenn.) took home the Co-Specialist of the Week honor for their performances in wins over Coker and No. 7 Wingate.

O'Neal is the third player for Carson-Newman to earn the Player of the Week accolade joining three-time winner Rachel Harper (Chattanooga, Tenn.) and senior middle blocker Jenna Wilson (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.). Pickett earns her third Specialist of the Week selection this year.

The duo helped Carson-Newman snap Wingate's 55-match winning streak that dated back to 2012 and became the first Eagle squad to defeat the Bulldogs since September 24, 2005.

"It was definitely the top volleyball moment of my life," Pickett said. "There's no game that we have worked so hard in. During the game, I remember looking at my teammates and they were pounding balls at us and we just kept saying 'let's go'."

O'Neal had an impressive weekend compiling 20 kills with just one attack error for a .543 attack percentage. The native of Katy, Texas had 11 kills, five digs and a season-high six block assists against the Cobras on Friday while racking up nine kills and a .529 attack percentage against the Bulldogs.

The junior has tallied a .400 hitting percentage or better on nine occasions this season to compile a .273 season total that ranks 11^th in the conference to go along with 61 total blocks, 15^th in the league.

"I have to give a lot of credit to our coach, Dan the man," O'Neal said. "He's always on us about everything and making sure we hold ourselves accountable with different things on the court and off the court."

Pickett continued her productive season with 32 assists and eight digs to start the week against Coker while recording her 10^th double-double of the year with 49 assists and 19 digs against Wingate. The senior has recorded at least 30 assists in 13 straight matches and she has notched at least 40 assists eight times this year. Her 19 digs against the Bulldogs were the second-most in a match this year.

The setter's 974 assists this year are the 37^th-most in the nation this year as she ranks second in the SAC with 10.15 assist per set this year. Pickett has tallied 49 service aces this year which leads the conference and ranks 22^nd in Division II this year.

"I think the team is very excited for everyone who is getting it because it is not a personal award so much as it is a Carson-Newman honor," Pickett said.

The Eagles play host to the Lincoln Memorial Railsplitters tonight at 7:00 p.m. in a contest you can watch live in high definition at cneagles.com/live.

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