Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2
The maroon and gray fell in three straight sets to the Colonials of George Washington (10-25, 15-25, 12-25) and the Seahawks of UNC Wilmington (12-25, 14-25, 20-25)
NCCU began the day with a 12:00 p.m. match against George Washington.
Finding her rhythm after a minor injury, senior Shantel Moore paced the offense with six kills, while sophomore Kalin Russell and freshman Dayanna Arrufat added four kills apiece to the team’s 18 total kills.
NCCU sophomore Jzima-Malaki Kalao supplied 18 assists in the loss. Kalao, Russell and Arrufat finished with five digs apiece to lead the Eagles’ defense. Russell also led in blocks with two block assists and one crowd-rattling solo block.
While the Eagle offense continued to diminish, the mighty maroon found success in blocking, seizing four team blocks.
The maroon and gray also improved on their serve receive game, lowering their reception errors from day one and allowing for Kalao to distribute more offensive options per play.
The GW offense was led by middle hitter Christy Harper, who finished the match with 12 kills and one error on 18 attempts. Fellow middle hitter Jamie Armstrong followed Harper’s lead, collecting eight kills in the win. Harper also led the blocking effort with three block assists.
Katie Crosby set the Colonials offense in motion, distributing 29 assists, while libero Candace Silva-Martin amassed nine digs.
GW’s afternoon win advanced the host squat to 5-0 on the season.
NCCU concluded the tournament with a 5:00 p.m. match against UNC Wilmington. In three straight sets, the Seahawks beat NCCU 25-12, 25-14, 25-20.
Arrufat and Moore each provided a double-figure kill outing in the match for the Eagles, the freshman and senior duo amassed 11 kills apiece.
Kalao delivered her second-best setting performance for NCCU with 20 assists on the night, accompanied by 11 digs.
UNCW maintained set one and two of the match, playing off the Eagles’ nine reception errors and 15 hitting errors in the two sets.
NCCU found their composure in set three minimizing their errors and reaching a tournament-high 54 percent hitting average with 13 kills over five errors on 31 attempts.
As the Eagles advanced their play, the intensity of the match increased as well. The final set consisted of five scores ties and four lead changes. But UNCW prevailed and took the win.
Seahawks’ middle hitter McKenzie Keightley and right-side hitter Christi Laite led the offense with seven kills apiece. Setting duo Kesley Bendig and Natalie LaHaie regulated the offense, amassing 14 and 12 assists, respectively.
Defensive specialist Haley Collins dug 13 Eagle attacks, pacing the Seahawks’ defense, while Laite and middle hitter Sierra Young shared the blocking responsibility with three block assists apiece.
UNC Wilmington advances to 3-3 this season, while NCCU drops to 0-8.
The Eagles will take a 12-day competition break to recuperate and prepare for the Elon University Volleyball Tournament on Sept. 16-17, in Elon, N.C., on the Elon University campus.
For more information on Eagle Volleyball or for up-to-date scores and statistics, visit the official NCCU Athletics website at
www.NCCUEaglePride.com.
