Box Score NCCU vs. University of Maryland Eastern Shore

BALTIMORE, Md. (www.NCCUEaglePride.com) – The North Carolina Central University volleyball team provided a captivating first-tournament performance with a five-set battle against Maryland Eastern Shore on Friday, Nov. 18, which resulted in a 25-18, 22-25, 25-13, 22-25, 15-7 Lady Hawk victory in Baltimore, Md., for the opening round the 2011 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tournament.

In their final match as Eagles, seniors Emanuelle Santos, Shantel Moore and Raven King led the squad in kills and digs.  Santos and Moore amassed 13 kills apiece, as King collected a match-high eight digs.  Freshman setter Alice Genna, who has stepped up in the absence of sophomore setter Jzima-Malaki Kalao, finished with a career-high 44 assists.

The five-set teeter-totter competition began with UMES taking a 25-18 first-set win.  The opening set began with the two squads going point-for-point until both teams were locked at five points apiece.  Nonetheless, two consecutive NCCU errors paced the Lady Hawks on their first run at 7-to-4 for a score of 12-9, forcing an Eagles timeout.

The mighty maroon answered back with a kill by Santos after the timeout, but despite their best effort, four NCCU service errors increased the margin to five points and sent the Lady Eagles to another timeout.
With a final 6-4 run by UMES, the Lady Hawks pulled away and seized a 25-18 win.

Set two of the match went to the Eagles.  At the 7-7 mark, the Lady Hawks hit a 3-0 run to take the lead, but the mighty maroon refused to go out without a fight, and an attack error by Zoe Bowen ignited a 4-1 NCCU run for a 13-11 lead.  From that mark on, the Eagles maintained the lead.

At the 17-14 mark, UMES headed to the bench for a timeout after Moore pounded a kill in Lady Hawk territory.  While NCCU and UMES scored eight apiece after the timeout, the three-point margin lead set by the Eagles sealed a set two 25-22 maroon and gray victory.

UMES opened set three with a dominate 9-3 run.  NCCU did their best to push through the six-point deficit scoring nine points against the Lady Hawks 10 points for a score of 19-12.  In the final moments of the contest, the Maryland based team went on a 6-1 run to clutch a 25-13 set three win and lead the match at 2-1.

Set four was another Eagles’ victory and tied the match at two sets apiece.  NCCU hit the fourth set with true grit, building an early 10-5 lead. 

While both teams went 11-for-11 in scoring, the Eagles’ determination was too great and force UMES into a timeout.

The Lady Hawks hit a 3-0 run to come within two points off of two consecutive service aces by Kaveinga Lea’aetoa of UMES.  NCCU senior Tasha-Gaye Richards answered back with kill which paced the squad on a 4-3 run for a 25-22 mighty maroon win.

NCCU and UMES entered the fifth and final set gridlocked at two set wins apiece.  The set opened with both teams trading points until the 3-3 mark.  On a 5-1 run, the Lady Hawks seized the pivotal eighth point and cruised to a 15-7 set five win to conclude the match.

Collectively, the mighty maroon hit 25 percent with 53 kills on 122 attempts, delivered 51 assists, accumulated five service aces, 34 digs and eight team blocks.

The UMES offense was led by Saitaua Iosia with a team-high 16 kills, as Maline Vaitai and Ndidi Ibe finished with double-figure kills at 12 kills and 11 kills, respectively.  Jessica Vicic circulated 47 assists, while gathering nine digs.  Ibe topped the blocking effort by assisting on three blocks.

As a unit, the Lady Hawks hit 32 percent with 57 kills on 115 attempts, amassed 51 assists, served 12 service aces, dug 42 NCCU attempts and accrued six team blocks.

NCCU concludes the 2011 season at 5-26 overall and 5-6 in MEAC play.

Visit the official NCCU Athletics website www.NCCUEaglePride.com for up-to-date information on Eagle Volleyball.