The North Carolina A&T volleyball team is in the midst of a five-match homestand and so far it’s been a good one. The Aggies best match of the season happen to come against their fiercest rival as they knocked off N.C. Central 3-1 (25-20, 23-25, 25-23, 25-20) Tuesday night at Moore Gymnasium.
It was the Aggies second straight win with both wins coming at home. The Aggies were a little outside of their usual home of Corbett Sports Center because of a homecoming event being held there. The last time the Aggies played in Moore, they beat N.C. Central. But it may not have been the venue as much as it was the Aggie hitters’ precision.
Junior Janae Mitchell recorded her first career double-double with 13 kills and 10 digs. She made just two attack errors and added three service errors. Fellow junior Tiffany Mellette chipped in with 10 kills and nine digs, while senior Aundia Gray remained hot by slamming down eight kills on a .316 hitting percentage.
Gray also had five blocks in the match, and has committed just three attack errors in her last 34 attacks. Freshman Jordan Gray recorded a career-high 35 assists.
“Our confidence is growing constantly,’’ said head coach Lyndsay Schmiedel. “It’s always helps when you don’t have to get on a bus and travel to play, but you get an opportunity play in familiar surroundings. Our ladies love playing in front of their peers and our fans, so that has given us a boost.”
The pivotal turning point in the match came in the third set. The two teams split the first two sets. The Eagles then took a 20-16 lead in the third. Mellette came up with a kill, block and an assist during a 4-1 run that cut the Eagles lead to 21-20. But a Mellette service error put the Eagles ahead by two. Two consecutive attack errors by the Eagles and a Mitchell kill completed the Aggies rally in the third as they took a 23-22 lead.
Shaina Pryor moved the Aggies closer to victory in the set with an attack error before Ashley Griffith’s kill made it 24-23, Aggies. But Mitchell rushed in from the left side and took a Jordan Gray set and slammed the ball in-between two Eagle defenders to win the set.