September 11, 2021

Frenetic comeback stuns Eagles in five-set loss to Queens

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Despite winning the first two sets by double digits, Carson-Newman fell in five sets, 25-14, 25-15, 17-25, 15-25 and 12-15, Saturday afternoon in South Atlantic Conference action to Queens at Holt Fieldhouse.

Queens (N.C.)

5-1, 2-0 SAC

Carson-Newman

2-4, 1-1 SAC

Final	1	2	3	4	5	T
Queens (N.C.) 5-1, 2-0 SAC	14	15	25	25	15	3
Carson-Newman 2-4, 1-1 SAC	25	25	17	15	12	2

VIDEO: Ashley Tiernan Interview

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Despite winning the first two sets by double digits, Carson-Newman fell in five sets, 25-14, 25-15, 17-25, 15-25 and 12-15, Saturday afternoon in South Atlantic Conference action to Queens at Holt Fieldhouse.

The Eagles had won 24 of the 27 home matches as four of the losses now in the last 28 have come in five sets, twice to the Royals. Under coach Ashley Tiernan, Carson-Newman (2-4, 1-1) was 22-1 when leading 2-0 in a match. The only other instance was on Oct. 25, 2018 to Anderson at Holt Fieldhouse.

"Our hitting percentage in the first two sets was over three," Tiernan said. "We never matched that again. Queens came back and their serve receive and defense got better and we didn't adapt very well. There is a lot that you have to do to correct that. The first two sets we executed our game plan and then we forgot what that game plan was."

In the first two games, the Eagles produced 31 kills and 10 errors. Over the final three games, the team registered 25 smashes and 17 misfires finishing the day with a .173 hitting clip and 56 kills.

Julia Wheeler (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) led the way with her first double in a C-N uniform with 15 kills and 11 digs. Blake Cherry (Cookeville, Tenn.) added a double-double of her own with 11 kills and 13 digs. Erin Edwards (Midlothian, Va.) chipped in 10 blasts.

Abbey Hildenbrand (Parker, Colo.) dished out 47 assists adding six digs and six kills. Hayden Barton (Hixson, Tenn.) gobbled up 25 digs and McKenna Hall (Bristol, Tenn.) added a career-high 19 scoops.

The Eagles opened up the match efficiently hitting .303 racking up 14 blasts with four posting multiple. Carson-Newman broke open a 6-6 tie by winning 17 of the next 23 points to swell the lead to double figures at 23-12. Taylor Keeran (Gailon, Ohio) put the finishing touches on the game with a kill off of the block in the middle.

In the second stanza, the home group once again pulled away scoring seven of nine points to flip a 3-3 tie into a 10-5 edge. After Queens pulled within three at 11-8, the Eagles scored seven straight to take commanding control capturing the game on a blast from Blake Cherry (Cookeville, Tenn.) to go ahead 2-0.

Carson-Newman won three of the first four points of the third before Queens rattled off seven straight and 13 of the next 16 to open up a 16-8 advantage. The Eagles pulled within six points six times but could not get any closer falling on a cross court kill by Kaytlin Dowling.

Queens won the first eight points of the fourth and never looked back. C-N surged with four straight points to close within a 13-9 margin but the Royals on seven of the next eight and won the game on a swat by Victoria Wood to force the fifth set.

The final game proved to be the tightest of the day with seven ties before Queens won three in a row to go on top 12-9. C-N won back to back points but the Royals won three of the final four to seal the comeback win.

Queens produced a .205 hitting clip finding a rhythm down the stretch with a .289 margin in the final three games of the day. Kaylin Dowling led the way with 15 blasts adding 21 digs and Victoria Wood produced a dozen. Brooke Farley tallied 44 assists, three aces and three digs.

The Eagles put a bow on their longest homestand of the season hosting in-state rival Lincoln Memorial Tuesday night at Holt Fieldhouse for a 7 p.m. first serve. Broadcast coverage airs on cneagles.com/live with a video stream.

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