Competitive match sees volleyball fall in fifth sets

It took five sets to decide a midweek battle between the Carson-Newman Eagles (11-16, 6-14 South Atlantic Conference) and the Lincoln Memorial Railsplitters (17-11, 13-6 SAC). There was just one lead change in the final three sets as Lincoln Memorial came away with a 25-23, 24-26, 25-20, 19-25 and 15-6 victory.

“I am elated with how our team played tonight,” head coach Shannon Mincey said following the match. “It’s why I am furious that we didn’t close because I think it was a brilliant effort with great plays by my setter Kristen Pickett and my middles did things that I have never seen them do.”

The only time the fifth set was tied was at 1-1. The Eagles pulled within 6-4 on a kill by junior outside hitter Lauren Santarelli (Colorado Springs, Colo.). However, the Railsplitters captured nine of the final 11 points to win the match.

It appeared that it was going to be a long night for the home side as Lincoln Memorial raced out to a 10-2 advantage, but the Eagles responded late in the set. Trailing 19-12, Carson-Newman reeled off nine of 13 points to pull within two points. An attack error by Jazzy Oates put the Eagles down by just a point before the Railsplitters earned the final point on a kill by Kaitlin Walton.

Four different Carson-Newman players had at least three kills led by Santarelli who had four kills and three digs in the opening frame.

The second set was the closest stanza of the match as there were eight ties and six lead changes. The largest lead was three points by LMU early. With the Eagles facing a set point, Santarelli dove to play a ball off to her right that found an empty spot on the opposing side for a kill. After senior right side Emily Schultz (Atlanta, Ga.) notched a kill, the Eagles took the second set on an attack error by Walton.

Carson-Newman hit .294 with three blocks in the second set with junior setter Kristen Pickett (Cleveland, Tenn.) handing out ten assists and eight digs.

With the score tied at six in the third set, Lincoln Memorial won six of the next seven before a Carson-Newman timeout. The Eagles were able to close the gap to three at 14-11 before dropping the set.

The Railsplitters committed just four errors as they hit .304 with Kendra Gephart and Allison Beavers each notching five kills.

In a must-win fourth set, the home team raced out to a 7-2 advantage. The closest LMU was able to get the rest of the way was two points at 11-9 before a kill by Schultz forced a decisive fifth set.

Three different Eagles tallied at double-double. Junior outside hitter Rachel Harper (Chattanooga, Tenn.) racked up 16 kills and ten digs for her sixteenth double-double of the season. Pickett had 52 assists and 17 digs for her seventh double-double of the year. Santarelli earned her third double-double of the campaign with 15 kills and 13 digs. Schultz finished with 14 kills, six digs and four block assists.

Overall, the Eagles finished with a .268 hitting percentage and ten total blocks led by two solo blocks and five block assists by sophomore middle Kiayna O’Neal (Katy, Texas).

Five different players for Lincoln Memorial had at least ten kills as they were led by 16 kills, 25 assists and six digs by Beavers.

“I huddled my team up,” Mincey said. “I just said ‘I want us to feel this one’ because there are times when you lose, you become numb. I want us to feel this one because we could’ve, should’ve had it. I want them to use this to play like we did tonight and not just buckle and throw in the towel.”

Carson-Newman will conclude its season with two home matches against Lenoir-Rhyne and Brevard this weekend.