FOUR EAGLES BOOST DOUBLE-DIGIT KILLS IN VICTORY OVER AGGIES

DURHAM, N.C. (www.NCCUEaglePride.com) - During their second match-up of the season, a change in home venues did not stop the North Carolina Central from grasping another victory over long-time rival North Carolina A&T State in the L.T. Walker Complex in Durham, N.C. 

Eagles' freshmen Denni Johnson recorded a career-high of 14 kills to help lead NCCU to its 3-1 win over the Aggies (25-17, 21-25, 25-15, 25-22).

In addition to Johnson's performance, three other Eagles amassed double-digit kills. Senior Christine Anthony led the team earning her seventh double-double of the season with 18 kills and 14 digs while also recording three service aces. Sophomore Dayanna Arrufat Rondon and junior Kalin Russell rounded out the Eagles scoring powerhouse with 12 and 10 kills respectively.

Sophomore Alice Genna contributed to the offensive success of NCCU, dishing out a total of 49 out of the Eagles 56 assists during the four-set victory.

Freshmen Brooks Stamnes recorded a double-double for N.C. A&T with 14 kills and 10 digs, as two additional Aggies reached double-digit kills.  Freshmen Te'Borah Hawkins-Hollingsworth amassed 11 kills while senior Andrea Evans collected 10.

For the complete story, visit www.ncataggies.com or www.nccueaglepride.com

VAITAI JOINS 1,000-KILL CLUB, VICIC BECOMES UMES'S ALL-TIME SETTER IN WIN OVER HOWARD

PRINCESS ANNE, Md. - Maline Vaitai earned a spot in the 1,000-kill club and Jessie Vicic is now the all-time leading assistant in Maryland Eastern Shore history as the Hawks took the three set match (25-10, 25-21, 25-17) over Howard on Senior Day. 

Vicic  tied Christina Estebané's all-time assists record with her seventh assist in the third set, setting up a Victoria Williams kill for a 12-7 score.  Her next assist came with Vaitai's 999^th career kill to push UMES up 14-10.  Vaitai earned her next kill shortly thereafter for number 1,000, set up by Vicic, for a 15-12 UMES lead.  Vicic now stands at 2,239 assists in her career, while Vaitai has 1,001 kills.  Vaitai is one of three UMES players, along with Whitney Johnson and Caylin Woodward, to be in the 1,000-kill club in the 25-point era.

With the victory, UMES still holds the longest current home-winning streak in Division I with its 30^th straight victory at the Hytche.  The Hawks have also won the last 32 regular season matches against MEAC teams at the Hytche and have a 20-match regular season match winning streak.

UMES hit .429 as a team, its highest hitting percentage in a match this season, with 49 kills and just 10 errors on 91 total attacks.  The Hawks hit .500 in the first set and .520 in the third game.

Vaitai finished the match with 15 kills, hitting .429 with five digs and a pair of blocks.  Vicic ended the night with 41 assists, three aces, five digs and a pair of dump kills.  Saitaua Iosia earned a double- double with 14 kills and 10 digs, hitting .440 in the match.  Williams hit .545 on seven kills, two aces and two digs, while Ndidi Ibe had nine kills and three blocks.

Assata Conway led the Bison with nine kills, four digs and an ace.  Stephanie Shultis had a team-high 18 assists, adding four kills and digs, while Harrison had five kills with two blocks.

For the complete story, visit www.umeshawks.com or www.howard-bison.com

Hampton Sweeps Coppin State , 3-0

HAMPTON, Va. - Ariel Richard had 11 kills, but Hampton defeated Coppin State 25-21, 25-17, 25-18 on Friday in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference match in Holland Hall.

Vendula Strakova had 13 kills and a .423 hitting percentage to lead Hampton to the victory. Krista Kraskura and Allysa Medine added eight kills each for the Pirates.

Hampton (14-13, 5-3 MEAC) hit .344 for the match, while limiting Coppin State to a .129 hitting percentage.

Coppin State (9-11, 4-4 MEAC) also received four kills and four blocks from Kendra Ireigbe, while Gabrielle Otero had nine digs and Chelsee Sauni added 24 assists.

The Pirates raced out to a 10-4 lead in the first set before Coppin State rallied.

Two service aces by Kandace Thomas and kills by Thomas, Cindy Okpegbue and Richard helped bring the Eagles to within 13-12.

Back-to-back kills from Okpegbue and Richard brought Coppin State to within 22-20, but an Eagle service error extended the lead to 23-20.

Another kill by Richard but the lead to 23-21, but Hampton closed out the first set on a kill by Kraskura and a CSU hitting error.

Leading 12-10 in the second set, Hampton took control with a 10-5 run to pushed the lead to 22-15.

Kills by Nicole Malave and Sauni cut the lead to 23-17, but a kill by Strakova and a service ace by Kraskura closed out the second set.

Hampton used another big run midway through the third set to assume control of the set.

The Pirates were leading 8-7 and then ripped off a 12-4 run to take a commanding 20-11 lead.

Kills by Malave and Ireigbe combined with a Hampton hitting error got Coppin State to within 24-18, but the Pirates closed out the set, and the match, on a CSU hitting error.

For the complete story, visit www.hamptonpirates.com or www.coppinstatesports.com

Eagles Tops Career Digs Record in 3-1 Win Over MSU

NORFOLK, Va. - Redshirt sophomore Noelle Eagles broke the school's all-time digs record, and the Norfolk State volleyball team continued to roll in this late season stretch with a 3-1 victory over Morgan State Friday night in the team's annual Breast Cancer Awareness Night match at Joseph Echols Hall.

NSU won its fourth straight by taking the match, 25-19, 23-25, 25-18, 25-23. The Spartans improved to 6-2 in the MEAC Northern Division, solidifying their second-place standing behind conference leader UMES. The win, the eighth in the last 10 matches, also pushed NSU's overall record to 10-18.

Because of Hurricane Sandy's approach to the East Coast of the United States this weekend, NSU's match with Coppin State on Sunday has been postponed to a yet-to-be-determined later date.

On the offensive end, the duo of Charlotte Armstead and freshman Jessica Johnson carried the Spartans. Johnson totaled 15 kills on a .467 attack percentage with 13 digs, including an unheard of 10 kills on 11 swings in the final set. Armstead attacked at a .344 clip and also posted 15 kills, while junior Goda Jankauskaite joined them in double figures with 11 kills.

Samantha Prescott led the Bears with 16 kills and 14 digs, while Janelle Wilson and Zuri Smith each posted 10.

For the complete story, visit www.nsuspartans.com or www.morganstatebears.com