Oct. 20, 2009

Final Stats

GREENSBORO, N.C. - Junior outside hitter Shantel Moore put on her best hitting performance of the season to lead the North Carolina Central University Eagles to a perfect 3-0 sweep of the North Carolina A&T State University Aggies Tuesday night in Greensboro, N.C. The Eagles defeated the Aggies by scores of 29-27, 25-22 and 25-15.

Moore notched a match-high 16 kills, which led to her outstanding .406 hitting percentage. The Westmoreland, Jamaica native tied her career-high in kills and recorded her best hitting percentage of the season. Her partner in crime was Belinda Behncke-Biney, who notched her fourth double-double of the season with 13 kills and a match-high 12 digs. She also put on an impressive performance from behind the service line with five aces.

Senior Avaniki Campbell put on an impressive performance of her own on both offense and defense. Campbell hit a season-high .583 with eight kills and added two blocks. She was joined on the net by Sashalee Wallen, who added two blocks to contribute to the Eagles' defensive efforts. Raven King added to the Eagles' defense with 11 digs, followed by Alexis John with nine.

NCCU hit .206 on the match, which is its third best hitting performance of the season with 40 kills and 20 errors. The Eagles outnumbered the Aggies in kills, assists, service aces, digs and blocks. Defensively, the Eagles tallied 49 digs and continued their consistency on the net with four total blocks.

The Eagles' defense forced trouble for the Aggies, who hit .075 on the match with 27 kills and 19 errors. North Carolina A&T struggled from the service line with 10 errors, which the Eagles were able to capitalize on. The Aggies' offense was anchored by outside hitter Tiffany Mellette with 11 kills for a .200 hitting percentage.

North Carolina A&T tallied only one block in the match, which came from the hands of Mellette. Stacey Malone led the Aggies in digs with eight, followed by Amber Inman and Mellette with seven. The Aggies tallied 32 digs to go along with their solo block.

The Aggies jumped out to an early 3-1 lead in the first set, but the Eagles quickly tied the score at three and took their first lead of the game off a block by Campbell and Courtney Williams. A service error tied the set at four, but Moore responded with a kill to put the Eagles up once more. NCCU had the advantage for most of the set, but the Aggies refused to go away, repeating the same pattern from the first set of their previous meeting with the Eagles.

North Carolina A&T managed to cut the Eagles' lead to one at 21-20 until a kill by Moore increased the lead to two. The Aggies continued to battle and were able to get back within one and followed with a kill to tie the set at 24. Moore quickly answered with a kill to give the Eagles the 25-24 lead, but the Aggies responded back to tie the set once more at 25. An attack error put the Eagles within one point of the win.

The Aggies continued to battle, tying the set at 26, but another attack error put the Eagles back on top at 27-26, but an Eagle attack error tied the set once more. Behncke-Biney put the Eagles back in front with a kill and served the ball to set up an attack error for the Aggies that gave the Eagles a 29-27 win.

In the second set, the Aggies drew blood first, taking a quick 3-0 lead until Behncke-Biney put the Eagles on the scoreboard. The Eagles scored two quick points to tie the set at three. Moore hammered the ball down to put the Eagles ahead for their first lead of the set at 4-3.

Once the Eagles had control, they stayed in control, until three straight points by the Aggies tied the set at 12. Behncke-Biney, once again, got the Eagles out of trouble, responding with a kill to put the Eagles back on top. A service error put the Eagles one point away from the win, 24-20, but the Aggies refused to go away, scoring back-to-back points to get within two until Behncke-Biney hammered a kill to put the set away at 25-22.

In the third set, the Eagles came out on fire, taking a quick 2-0 lead. A service error would put the Aggies on the scoreboard and they eventually tied the set at two. An Eagle attack error gave the Aggies their first lead of the set until a Moore kill tied the set at three.

The Aggies took the lead once again off a service error, but the Eagles regained the lead off a kill by Campbell. The Eagles turned on the momentum and maintained control, not allowing the Aggies to tie the score or take another lead, finishing the match off with a 25-15 win.

Once again, the Aggies were unable to clinch a victory, falling to 1-24 on the season. NCCU improved to 8-19 on the season, surpassing their victory total from last season. Not only did the Eagles improve their overall record, but they increased their advantage over the Aggies to 5-2.

North Carolina A&T continues their struggles, riding a nine-match losing streak. The Aggies and the Eagles will meet again on Nov. 16 when NCCU host North Carolina A&T in their final match of the season, which will be designated as Senior Night.

The Eagles will hit the hardwood on Friday, Oct. 23 when they head to Wilmington, N.C. to face the Seahawks of UNC Wilmington in their second match of a five-match road trip. Friday will mark the second all-time meeting between the Eagles and the Seahawks with the Eagles claiming a 1-0 advantage in the series.

For more information on Eagles volleyball, visit the official website of NCCU Athletics at www.NCCUEaglePride.com.