Spartans swept twice on second day of Campbell Invite
BUIES CREEK, N.C. – The Norfolk State volleyball team suffered a pair of 3-0 losses on Saturday afternoon in the Campbell Invitational. The host Camels upended NSU in an early afternoon matchup at Gore Arena, and UNC Wilmington followed with another sweep of the Spartans in a late afternoon contest.
Campbell won the first two sets by scores of 25-11 and 25-17 before NSU gave the Camels a run for their money in a 26-24 loss in the third set. UNC Wilmington took care of the Spartans via scores of 25-10, 25-18 and 25-17 in the second matchup.
The losses dropped NSU to 0-6 on the year.
Against Campbell, senior Angie Darcus led all players with 10 kills. She also led the Spartans with seven kills against UNC Wilmington and tallied 11 digs, two assists, two service aces and two blocks over the course of both matches.
Janay Frazier finished with 11 kills over the two matches, while Darcy Moore tallied 38 assists, 11 digs and six kills. Junior Alex Irizarry ended the day with 19 digs, five assists and two service aces, and Uwem Etuk had a solid day with seven kills and four blocks in the first significant minutes of her career.
NSU will compete in the Spartan-Aggie Invitational next Friday and Saturday, hosted by UNCG and North Carolina A&T State.
For complete story, visit www.nsuspartans.com
Coppin State drops pair at Hampton Inn Waco North Tournament
WACO, Texas - Coppin State could have chosen to load its 2015 schedule with cupcakes and compete in tournaments where wins would be guaranteed.
Instead, the Lady Eagles opening two weeks of their schedule has been like running barefoot over hot coals. Coppin State has suffered a few bumps, blisters and burns against a savage slate of competitors, including this weekend where the Lady Eagles lost both matches to Baylor and Sam Houston State by 3-0 scores of the Hampton Inn Waco North Tournament hosted by Baylor University Saturday afternoon.
In each match, the Lady Eagles (0-6 overall) did some good things like pushing Baylor (5-1) in the second set before falling 5-25, 20-25, 16-25. They also battled Sam Houston State (4-3) before dropping a 16-25, 12-25, 18-25 decision.
Among the highlights from Saturday's action for Coppin State was senior Cindy Okpegbue registering 10 kills against Baylor, the third time this season and 45th time in her career she has finished with double digits. For the weekend, Okpegbue racked up 23 kills, moving her 22 closer to becoming the third CSU volleyball player in program history to reach 1,000.
Okpegbue complemented her offensive attack by finishing with 14 digs combined against Baylor and Sam Houston State.
Senior setter Chelsee Sauni delivered a match-high 22 assists against Baylor. She finished with 50 during the three-day tournament. Sophomore Glory Rosado had a season best 24 digs against Sam Houston State. Freshmen Samantha Polk and Alexa Williams had seven digs and five kills respectively against Sam Houston State. Williams along with senior Kendra Ireigbe had four kills each against Baylor.
Coppin State returns to action next Saturday when it meets UMBC at 12:30 p.m. and Rider at 5:30 p.m. in the Maddie Bingaman Memorial Tournament hosted by UMBC.
For complete story, visit www.coppinstatesports.com
Savannah State Drops Two Matches to UAB and FIU
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Freshman outside hitter Makayla Tam recorded 12 kills in two matches on Saturday as Savannah State University fell to host UAB 3-0 (25-12, 25-20, 25-15) and FIU 3-0 (25-8, 25-12, 25-13) on Saturday at the Blazer Classic.
Tam recorded a team-high eight kills against the Blazers (3-3) and added two service aces and four digs, and recorded four kills, four digs and three block assists against FIU (4-2).
Freshman outside hitter Chinenye Ofodile recorded seven kills in both matches, with three against UAB and four against FIU. Freshman setter Briana Littlejohn recorded 19 assists in both matches with 10 against FIU and nine against UAB and added eight digs including five against FIU.
Junior setter Caitlynn Masoe recorded 13 assists, five kills, eight digs and five service aces in both matches. She had all five service aces against UAB, which ranks tied for fourth most in school history in a three-set match.
The Lady Tigers return to action next weekend with the Valparaiso Invitational. SSU starts off with Loyola at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, followed by a doubleheader on Saturday with host Valparaiso at 11:30 a.m. and Elon at 4:30 p.m.
For complete story, visit www.ssuathletics.com
North Carolina Central falls to Elon and Charleston Southern
ELON, N.C. – The North Carolina Central University volleyball team committed more errors than points in dropping a non-conference match to host Elon University in straight sets to begin Saturday’s play in the Phoenix Classic.
The Phoenix (1-5) picked up their first win of the season, sweeping the winless Lady Eagles by scores of 25-13, 25-13 and 25-20.
Junior Kelsey Murphy, who only played two sets, led the Lady Eagles in kills for a fifth consecutive match with 10 spikes. Senior Kelly Rossip hit .308 with seven kills and freshman Kierra Shipman matched her with seven spikes.
Freshman libero Tamika Brekke tallied a match-high 17 digs and junior setter Casey Curran notched 17 assists.
Sophomore Sydel Curry produced 32 assists for a Phoenix squad that hit .315 for the match. Senior Megan Gravley and junior Ebony Scott paced Elon with 12 and 11 kills, respectively.
Against Charleston Southern, Murphy recorded her first double-double of the season to highlight play for the North Carolina Central University volleyball team in a 3-0 loss to Charleston Southern University in the Elon University Phoenix Classic Saturday afternoon.
The Buccaneers (3-4 overall) used 15 blocks in sweeping the Lady Eagles (0-7) by set scores of 25-21, 25-21 and 25-14.
Murphy completed her double-double by pounding down a team-high 12 kills and making a season-best 12 digs.
Freshman Kierra Shipman ripped 11 spikes, which was her second 11-kill performance of the tournament (Wake Forest). Rossip (6 kills) and freshman Whitney White (4 kills) chipped in on the Lady Eagles offense with 10 combined kills.
Curran provided a match-high 21 assists in just two sets with sophomore Paige Phillips adding 11 assists over the final two frames.
Brekke showcased 17 digs and sophomore Lauryn Martin matched Murphy with 12 digs.
NCCU next travels to Boiling Springs, N.C., for a non-conference clash at Gardner-Webb University on Tuesday at 7 p.m.
For complete story, visit www.nccueaglepride.com
Maryland Eastern Shore remains perfect after two wins
PRINCESS ANNE, Md. — With wins over Delaware State and North Carolina A&T State Saturday the Hawks continued their record setting start, winning their first seven matches to start the 2015 season. By winning both matches, each one by a 3-0 score, UMES won its second straight home tournament.
Freshman Zuzana Ondruskova won All-Tournament MVP for her efforts this weekend. On Saturday alone she tallied 24 kills and 22 digs, giving her 36 and 30, respectively, for the tournament.
Seniors Petra Jerabkova and Andjela Reljic joined Ondruskova on the All-Tournament team. Jerabkova completed over 90 assists as the primary setter while adding an over .500 kill percentage and 16 digs. Reljic continued to be the team’s leader in digs with 46 over three matches.
UMES will host its third and final tournament next weekend, with matches versus North Carolina Central on Friday, followed by Loyola (Md.) and Manhattan on Saturday.
For complete story, visit www.umeshawks.com
Hampton falls to East Carolina and Presbyterian
DAVIDSON, N.C. – The Hampton University volleyball team completed play in the Wildcat Classic on Saturday in the John M. Belk Arena, falling to both East Carolina and Presbyterian in straight sets.
Allysa Medina was named to the All-Tournament Team.
In a three-set loss to East Carolina, Medina racked up a career-high 13 kills to go along with eight digs on defense, while Tatyana Thomas and Reeana Richardson each added five kills. Mallory Beard had a team-high 10 digs, while Lena Washington, who also had four kills, added nine digs.
Kennedy Kenney had three blocks, while Alexandra Erhart had 21 assists.
In a three-set loss to Presbyterian, Richardson had 11 kills to lead the Lady Pirates, while Medina followed up her career performance against East Carolina with eight kills and a team-high 10 digs. Washington added seven kills and a team-high three blocks, as well as eight digs.
Erhart had 23 assists.
The Lady Pirates will be in Greenville, N.C. on Friday and Saturday for the East Carolina Classic.
For complete story, visit www.hamptonpirates.com
Florida A&M Drops Three in Arizona Tourney
TUCSON, Ariz. – The FAMU Women’s Volleyball Team (0-7) dropped three tough matches in the University of Arizona Invitational here at the McKale Center Friday and Saturday.
On Friday, Florida A&M won its’ first set of the season, 25-20 in their 3-1 loss to Cal State Northridge.
CSUN (1-3) bounced back to win the next three sets, 25-17, 25-15 and 25-21. Pamela Soriano had a team-high eight kills, followed by Deija Martin and Ginna Lopez with six apiece, while Tamara Fowler and Andre Soriano had five each. Valentina Carrasco had 16 digs, while Ailin Donati had a team high 19 assists.
On Saturday, FAMU’s first match was against 16th-ranked Arizona (5-0) and the Wildcats won, 3-0 went (12-25, 14-25, 19-25). Pamela Soriano led with 10 kills and nine digs, followed by Tamar Fowler with eight kills and Deija Martin with four. Valeria Lopez haded out 19 assists for FAMU.
In the second match of the day against South Dakota (2-4), FAMU fell 3-0 (7-25, 17-25, 22-25). Pamela Soriano led FAMU with nine kills, with Starmichael Tucker and Deija Martin getting seven kills each, while Tamar Fowler added five. Valentine Carrasco had 12 digs, and Valeria Lopez dished out 23 assists.
Pamela Soriano, who finished the tournament with 26 kills, and freshman libero Valentina Carrasco, who had 28 digs in three matches, were both named to the Arizona Invitational All-Tournament Team.
FAMU will co-host the FAMU-FSU Invitational Friday, Saturday and Sunday in the Al Lawson Center.
For complete story, visit www.famuathletics.com