GREENSBORO, N.C. – Senior outside hitter Belinda Behncke-Biney hammered a season-high .565 with 14 kills and just one error to lead the North Carolina Central University Eagles (5-18) to a 3-0 sweep over the North Carolina A&T State University Aggies (2-20) Wednesday night in volleyball action at Moore Gymnasium.
In an Eagle-Aggie battle that saw six tie scores and two lead changes, the Eagles managed to pull a victory out in three straight sets as they defeated the Aggies by scores of 25-21, 25-21 and 25-14. The victory marks the Eagles’ second consecutive three-set win as they improve to 5-18 on the year, while the Aggies dropped to 2-20.
Behncke-Biney anchored the Eagle offense as the only student-athlete from either team to record double-figure kills with 14, while dropping in a match-high three service aces. She was accompanied by outside hitter Maritsann Sinclair with six kills, followed by middle hitter Tasha-Gaye Richards with five.
Freshman setter Jzima-Malaki Kalao paced the NCCU offense with 29 assists. On the defensive side of the ball, the Eagles were led by Raven King with a match-high 15 digs, standing as the only student-athlete from either team to notch double-figure digs. She was assisted by Kalin Russell with eight.
Along the net, the Eagles were paced by Sashalee Wallen, Richards and Russell, with two blocks apiece as Richards notched a solo shot. Kalao also added an assisted block. As a team, NCCU totaled four blocks, just one less than the host as the Aggies recorded five on the match as Jeana Daniels accumulated four with one solo.
The North Carolina A&T offense was led by Andrea Evans with six kills, followed by Mia Gray with five as Amber Inman paced the offensive efforts with 15 dishes. On the defensive end, the Aggies were led by Inman with nine digs and Tatiana Cooper with seven. Daniels was assisted by Elisha Boyer on the net with three blocks.
NCCU out-numbered North Carolina A&T in five categories with 33 kills, just 19 errors, a .157 hitting percentage, 31 assists, 12 service aces and 41 digs, while the Aggies finished the day with 22 kills, 17 assists, two service aces, 31 digs and five blocks. The Eagles forced 23 Aggie errors and held them below zero in hitting.
The Eagles took control of the match from the first set as they jumped out to a 10-4 lead over the Aggies to open set play as they held the lead for the entire match, allowing just three tie scores and no lead changes. North Carolina A&T managed to knot the score at two, but didn’t see another tie until the 20-20 mark when they went on an 11-3 run, but the Eagles kept their composure and stayed focused.
The Aggies refused to back down as they locked the set at 21, but it was at that moment that the Eagles decided to stop teasing North Carolina A&T and put the finishing touches on the set as they scored three-straight points following an Aggie attack error, back-to-back service aces from Wallen and a kill by Sinclair to win 25-21.
In front of their home crowd, the Aggies wouldn’t lay down that easily as they went into the second set with a little more fire and determination, jumping out to quick 5-1 lead, their first lead of the match. Set two saw three tie scores and two lead changes as the Eagles refused to let their guard down as they fought back to knot the score at eight. A service ace by Tocarra Jones gave the Eagles their first lead of the game, but the Aggies came right back to tie the score at nine. That was the last tie of the whole match as NCCU went on a 6-2 run.
North Carolina A&T managed to get back within one on several occasions, but it wasn’t enough to get them out in front as NCCU scored the last five out of seven points. The last two points of the set were owned by the Eagles as back-to-back kills from Behncke-Biney and Sinclair locked in the 25-21 win.
Set three was a much different ballgame for the Eagles, who decided to make it quick as they jumped out to an early 11-1 lead allowing for not a single tie or lead change as Kalao served for the first seven NCCU points of the set, followed by Behncke-Biney, who served for the Eagles’ next three points.
North Carolina A&T would score just 13 more points as the Eagles closed out the match with a 25-14 win in the third and final set, riding a 7-2 run to the finish line. The Eagles earned bragging rights after sweeping their Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) foe and arch rival North Carolina A&T in their first meeting of the year.
The Eagles will pause for a quick break before they hit the hardwood running as they travel to the Sunshine State for a two-match weekend with Bethune-Cookman University and Florida A&M University. NCCU will take on a pair of MEAC opponents as they battle Bethune-Cookman on Friday, Oct. 8 at 7 p.m.in Daytona Beach, Fla., before traveling to Tallahassee to face the Rattlers on Sunday, Oct. 10 at 7 p.m.
For more information on Eagle Volleyball or for up-to-date scores and statistics, visit the official website of NCCU Athletics at www.NCCUEaglePride.com.
