DURHAM, N.C. – The North Carolina Central University volleyball team will make its annual trip to South Carolina State University this weekend to compete in the South Carolina State Spikefest, where the Eagles will play four games in two days at the Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center in Orangeburg, S.C.
The Eagles (1-9) will kick-off opening action with tournament-host South Carolina State (1-10) at noon on Friday, Sept. 17 before taking on Mercer University (3-10) at 4 p.m. NCCU will jump-start Saturday play with Hampton University (0-11) at 1 p.m. before concluding the tournament with The Citadel (3-8) at 3 p.m.
NCCU is currently on a five-match losing skid as they enter this weekend’s action with a 1-9 record, following a 3-0 loss to Davidson College on Tuesday. The Eagles look to get on the winning track as they face-off with two Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference opponents in South Carolina State and Hampton, along with a Southern Conference opponent in The Citadel and a member of the Atlantic Sun in Mercer.
Senior outside hitter Belinda Behncke-Biney, who has earned two All-Tournament Team honors this season, paces the Eagle offense with a team-high 81 kills, averaging 2.61 kills per set, and dropping in nine service aces, while contributing on the defensive end with 56 digs and 10 blocks.
Turning up the heat on offense is junior Sashalee Wallen, who averages 1.24 kills per set with 36 kills on the year. She has become an offensive threat, while remaining the Eagles’ blocking power with 24 blocks on the season. Aside from Wallen, freshman Kalin Russell has added strength on the net for the Eagles with 20 blocks.
Junior libero Raven King paces the Eagle defense away from the net with 86 digs. Freshman setter Jzima-Malaki Kalao has contributed on all sides of the net for NCCU with 184 assists, seven kills, five service aces, 41 digs and 11 blocks, making a huge impact in the starting rotation for the Eagles.
South Carolina State has lost nine straight headed into this weekend’s tournament, as they hold a 1-10 mark on the year with their win coming against MEAC powerhouse Maryland Eastern Shore. They enter this weekend’s action following a 0-3 mark at the Gamecock Invitational in Columbia, S.C.
The Bulldogs of South Carolina State are led by the duo of Jarne Gleaton and Shabree Roberson. Gleaton averages 2.83 kills per set with 82 kills on the season, while adding 56 digs and 11 blocks into the mix. Her partner in crime Roberson is hitting a .232 on the year with 78 kills. She also leads the team in blocks with 31.
Pacing the Bulldog defense is Melissa Robinson with 104 digs, followed by Bria Brimmer with 92. Brimmer is also South Carolina State’s assists leader with 315 on the year. As a team, the Bulldogs have totaled 64 blocks.
A-Sun-member Mercer comes into the two-day event with a 3-10 mark on the season with its three wins coming against the University of Tennessee at Martin, The Citadel and Florida A&M University. The Bears are coming off a 3-0 sweep of the Rattlers and look to continue their winning streak as they head into this weekend.
They are led by the offensive dominance of Amiee Frutchey and Krista Hurley. The duo combines for 165 kills, 169 digs and 49 blocks. Hurley is the Bears’ all-around player with 84 kills, a .211 hitting percentage, 25 digs and a team-high 34 blocks. Frutchey has totaled 81 kills, 144 digs and 15 blocks so far this season.
Bridget Sheerin is the Bears’ assists leader with 253. She also has 75 digs and seven blocks. Pacing the Mercer defense is Charlotte Harris with 213 digs, followed by Frutchey with 144. Helping Hurley on the net is Libby Hansch with 31 blocks. The Bears have totaled 665 digs, along with 90 blocks.
Hampton remains winless as they come into this weekend’s event with a 0-11 record. The Lady Pirates are coming off a disappointing 0-3 weekend in Buffalo, N.Y., where they competed in the University of Buffalo Tournament. The Lady Pirates fell to St. John’s, Buffalo and Binghamton in the event.
Senior Aaryn Harrison, a native of Cary, N.C., paces the Lady Pirate offense with 71 kills so far this season, an average of 2.29 per set. She is coming off an All-Tournament Team honor from this past weekend and is also the team’s leader in service aces with seven. Her partner in crime is junior Lina Cordoba, who leads the team in hitting percentage with a .203 to go along with 24 kills.
Contributing on the Pirate offense is junior setter Lihi Elkayam with 238 of Hampton’s 278 assists, averaging 7.00 per set. Defensively, the Lady Pirates are anchored by freshman Sheileen Pagan with 68 digs, followed by senior Ivana Suput with 65. The Hampton blocking game is controlled by the duo of Cordoba and Harrison with 22 and 21, respectively. They combine for 43 of Hampton’s 50 blocks.
The Citadel rounds out the tournament field, coming into this weekend’s action on a two-match winning streak with wins against USC Upstate and Norfolk State. They are 3-8 on the season and are looking to keep their streak alive as they come into this weekend’s event with momentum on their side.
The Bulldog offense is anchored by the powerful duo of senior Tatum Jestila and sophomore Kaona Mercer. Jestila averages 2.41 kills per set with 82 on the season, while Mercer has a 2.35 average with 80 kills on the year. Jestila also contributes heavily on the defensive end with a team-high 123 digs.
Contributing to the powerful Bulldog attack is the setting duo of Erin Bucherl and Alexa Dahlstrom. Bucherl was just named the Southern Conference Freshman Player of the Week. She has recorded 153 assists. Dahlstrom leads the team in assists with 163.
On the defensive side of the net, aside from Jestila, the Bulldogs are paced by junior libero Kathryn Johnston, who has 102 digs. Their blocking game is anchored by senior middle hitter Jessica Maas and Mercer. Maas has 25 blocks on the year, while Mercer has totaled 19. As a team, The Citadel has recorded 66 blocks and 557 digs.
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.
