DAYTONA BEACH, FLA. – Four Eagles finished with career-best outings as the North Carolina Central University volleyball team dropped a heartbreaking five-set decision to the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats, 3-2 (22-25, 16-25, 25-22, 25-23, 15-10) on Sunday, Oct. 5 in Daytona Beach, Fla., at Moore Gymnasium.
"As we progress through the season, we are starting to find our identity," said head coach #
Nicki Holmes#. "This team is more than ever dedicated to the process of learning and getting better each and every day.
"I believe this match was a team effort, and it allowed some individuals to have a great day" said Holmes. "Hats off to B-CU, they fought and pushed us to compete for every ball."
Senior #
Ashley McCarthy# (Elmont, N.Y.) led the way for NCCU (0-20, 0-3 MEAC) collecting a career-high 24 kills (.283) while adding three blocks.
Offensively, redshirt junior #
Denni Johnson# (Ashburn, Va.) and sophomore #
Kelsey Murphy# (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) trailed McCarthy, also contributed career-best kill performances with 17 and 16 respectively while Johnson led the match with four blocks and Murphy earned her fourth double-double of the season with 15 digs.
On the defensive end, redshirt junior #
Melissa Rabell Pineiro# (Canovanas, Puerto Rico) dug a career-high 30 digs, rookie #
Anastaja Jones# (Frisco, Texas) collected a season-best four blocks and senior #
Alice Genna# (Rome, Italy) earned her first assist/dig double-double of the season with 32 assists and 15 digs.
NCCU took the early 1-0 match lead over the Wildcats after battling out a 25-22 first set victory.
The second game was all Eagles as NCCU carried the tempo from the first set pushing out an early 8-1 lead over B-CU.
NCCU never allowed the Wildcats closer than six points for the remainder of the set, as momentum stayed in favor of the Eagles, giving them the 25-16 victory.
Leading 2-0 for the first time during the 2014 season heading into the intermission, NCCU got off to a slow start in the third set, allowing B-CU to open up on a 6-3 run.
The Eagles did not lie down, swapping the lead with the Wildcats four times during the set. NCCU knotted the game at 22 off of a Murphy kill before B-CU used a 3-0 run to close the third set 25-22 victory.
With the momentum switch, the Wildcats tied the contest at two after a 25-23 third set victory and continued to stay on top taking the match with the 15-10 deciding set.
NCCU returns to action on Friday, Oct. 10 as the Eagles travel to Savannah, Ga., to take on the Savannah State Tigers during a 6 p.m., match-up.
