Eagles Cruise to AAC Semifinals
November 8, 2018
By Mike DeVader, Reinhardt Director of Athletic Communications & Media
KINGSPORT, Tenn. – Reinhardt volleyball continues to add to its record-breaking season in 2018, as the Eagles again pushed their way to a 3-0 win against an Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) foe in a 25-11, 25-23, 28-26 outcome over Truett-McConnell (Ga.) in the opening round of the conference championship on Thursday.
Head coach Brian Goodhind and his team are now 31-6 overall – a new team record for wins – after holding off the Bears in the final two sets of the afternoon.
"It was tough to play today… How do you get motivated to play a team without a coach?" Goodhind said. "I struggled today motivating the kids and focusing myself. The match just had a weird feel to it without a coach on the other side. After set one, our girls played so complaisant. They just felt they were the better team and were just coasting until it was over. It's not a great mindset, and they know how I feel.
"I am confident they will rise to the occasion in the semifinals."
Despite hitting a combined .159 in the match, Reinhardt accumulated 40 kills and took advantage of 21 errors by the Bears en route to the straight-set victory. The Eagles overwhelmed the opposition in the opening stanza with strong defense and precise offense to the tune of .333.
The hometown team tallied six points in-a-row and seven out of the last eight to take set one.
Reinhardt led most of the way through the final two games of the match, but it was apparent the team wasn't entirely comfortable putting Truett-McConnell to rest at times. The Bears would make positive movement in both stanzas to put pressure on the AAC's top team, but the Eagles always seemed to be one step ahead.
Even in the face of losing set three – down, 26-25 – Reinhardt turned on the offense when it needed to in order to collected three-consecutive points to take the match and advance to tomorrow's round.
Cheetara Bing had her hand in each of the last three tallies with a pair of kills and an assisted block to win the bout alongside Shadaisha Summerall.
Tessa Colden notched 14 kills and Carlee Baxter led the way in assists with 28.
Reinhardt Leaders on the Scoreboard vs. Truett-McConnell
Kills: Tessa Colden (14), Cheetara Bing (9), Savanna Davis (8)
Aces: Carlee Baxter (2), Tessa Colden (2), Brianna Baez (2)
Blocks: Shadaisha Summerall (4), Brianna Baez (2), Cheetara Bing (2)
Assists: Carlee Baxter (28), Erinn Marroquin (4), Kelley Adkins (2)
Digs: Kelley Adkins (12), Tessa Colden (9), Carlee Baxter (7)
The team now awaits its semifinal opponent of No. 5 St. Andrews (N.C.) for a 1 p.m. clash on Friday.
For up-to-the-minute Eagles sports news, follow Reinhardt Athletics on Facebook, @RU_Eagles on Twitter and @ru_eagles on Instagram.
For more information on Reinhardt Volleyball, please click here.
KINGSPORT, Tenn. – Reinhardt volleyball continues to add to its record-breaking season in 2018, as the Eagles again pushed their way to a 3-0 win against an Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) foe in a 25-11, 25-23, 28-26 outcome over Truett-McConnell (Ga.) in the opening round of the conference championship on Thursday.
Head coach Brian Goodhind and his team are now 31-6 overall – a new team record for wins – after holding off the Bears in the final two sets of the afternoon.
"It was tough to play today… How do you get motivated to play a team without a coach?" Goodhind said. "I struggled today motivating the kids and focusing myself. The match just had a weird feel to it without a coach on the other side. After set one, our girls played so complaisant. They just felt they were the better team and were just coasting until it was over. It's not a great mindset, and they know how I feel.
"I am confident they will rise to the occasion in the semifinals."
Despite hitting a combined .159 in the match, Reinhardt accumulated 40 kills and took advantage of 21 errors by the Bears en route to the straight-set victory. The Eagles overwhelmed the opposition in the opening stanza with strong defense and precise offense to the tune of .333.
The hometown team tallied six points in-a-row and seven out of the last eight to take set one.
Reinhardt led most of the way through the final two games of the match, but it was apparent the team wasn't entirely comfortable putting Truett-McConnell to rest at times. The Bears would make positive movement in both stanzas to put pressure on the AAC's top team, but the Eagles always seemed to be one step ahead.
Even in the face of losing set three – down, 26-25 – Reinhardt turned on the offense when it needed to in order to collected three-consecutive points to take the match and advance to tomorrow's round.
Cheetara Bing had her hand in each of the last three tallies with a pair of kills and an assisted block to win the bout alongside Shadaisha Summerall.
Tessa Colden notched 14 kills and Carlee Baxter led the way in assists with 28.
Reinhardt Leaders on the Scoreboard vs. Truett-McConnell
Kills: Tessa Colden (14), Cheetara Bing (9), Savanna Davis (8)
Aces: Carlee Baxter (2), Tessa Colden (2), Brianna Baez (2)
Blocks: Shadaisha Summerall (4), Brianna Baez (2), Cheetara Bing (2)
Assists: Carlee Baxter (28), Erinn Marroquin (4), Kelley Adkins (2)
Digs: Kelley Adkins (12), Tessa Colden (9), Carlee Baxter (7)
The team now awaits its semifinal opponent of No. 5 St. Andrews (N.C.) for a 1 p.m. clash on Friday.
For up-to-the-minute Eagles sports news, follow Reinhardt Athletics on Facebook, @RU_Eagles on Twitter and @ru_eagles on Instagram.
For more information on Reinhardt Volleyball, please click here.