TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Aside from a close finish during the first set, the North Carolina Central University (0-19) volleyball team dropped a 3-0 (25-21, 25-14, 25-19) match to the Florida A&M Rattlers (5-10, 3-0 MEAC) falling 0-2 in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference play on Friday, Oct. 3 in Tully Gymnasium on the campus of Florida State.

Sophomore Kelsey Murphy (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.), the MEAC leader in service aces, led the Eagles offensively during the match finishing with a team-best eight kills and tied her career-best four services aces during the match-up.

NCCU redshirt junior Denni Johnson (Ashburn, Va.) and rookie Anastaja Jones (Frisco, Texas) trailed Murphy with seven and five kills apiece.

Freshman Paige Phillips (Birmingham, Ala.) directed the NCCU offense during the loss finishing with a team-high 17 assists while redshirt junior Melissa Rabell Pineiro (Canovanas, Puerto Rico) led with 10 digs.

Rookie Pamela Soriano and junior Yeshia Arcia, for 31 kills for the Rattlers while Valeria Lopez dished 36 helpers and Joanie Del Castillo led FAMU with 19 digs.

The Eagles return to the hardwood on Sunday, Oct. 5 as they wrap up their Florida road trip in Daytona Beach, taking on Bethune-Cookman (5-13, 3-0 MEAC) at 2 p.m., inside Moore Gymnasium.