Courtesy of North Carolina A&T State Athletic Communications
OMAHA, Neb. – In its first trip to the NCAA Division I Volleyball Championship Tournament, North Carolina A&T State saw its historic season come to an end with a three-set loss (25-11, 25-19, 25-15) to blueblood program Penn State in the second round of the tournament Thursday night at the CHI Health Center.
"It was an exciting match," head coach Hal Clifton said about facing the No. 12 team in the nation. "The team was ready to play, especially after the delay. We had moments where we played really well and then some moments where Penn State played well. It came down to the side out battle, and they won the serve and pass game.
"I'm proud of how our team competed against the No. 12 team in the nation. They are the only team to make every NCAA tournament, and no one has won more matches in this tournament than Penn State."
The Aggies finish the season 11-2 overall. Thursday's loss snapped the Aggies 11-match winning streak. It was the longest winning streak in school history.
Senior outside hitter Courteney Pitt led the Aggies with seven kills. Senior setter Edie Brewer added 11 assists, six kills and two digs, and junior libero Andrea Laboy-Rivera posted nine digs. Junior middle blocker Shaylynn Hall recorded four blocks with a .333 hitting percentage. Junior right side hitter Fatimah Shabazz added five kills and two blocks. Sophomore setter Addy Warfield led the team with 12 assists and added three digs.
Kills from Brewer and Pitt got the Aggies within four at 11-7 in the first set. Penn State went on an 8-1 spurt to take a 19-8 lead. The Aggies never got the lead under double-figures again as Penn State's Annie C. Fitzpatrick ended the set with a kill.
The Aggies were more competitive in the second set. A Hall kill got the Aggies to within two at 9-7. The Aggies remained close when Shabazz slammed down a kill to make it 11-9. The Nittany Lions did get some breathing room on a Fitzpatrick service ace as they expanded their lead to 16-10.
The Aggies put together a 3-0 run that included a Hall kill, a Hall and Shabazz block assist, and a Nadia Montalbán-El Hirchie ace that forced the Nittany Lions to call timeout as the Aggies got to within four at 22-18.
An Aggies service error ended the Aggies run before another Hall kill got the Aggies back to within four. But the Nittany Lions used an Aggies service error and a Fitzpatrick kill to win the set.
The third set saw Penn State jump out to a 20-5 lead. The Aggies came on strong late, but the early deficit was too much to overcome.
Fitzpatrick and Kaitlyn Hord led the Nittany Lions with nine kills apiece.
The Aggies set many school records this season. N.C. A&T won the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Southern Division for the second consecutive season and won its first-ever MEAC tournament title.
N.C. A&T went 21-1 in the MEAC over the past two seasons. By winning the MEAC tournament, the Aggies received their first bid to the NCAA Tournament.
"I'm so proud of our team for everything they accomplished this season during a pandemic," Clifton said.
"These young ladies represented our esteem institution on a national stage and did not disappoint. We are thankful to all of our Aggie supporters and look forward to seeing everyone back in Moore Gymnasium this fall."