BALTIMORE, Md. – The North Carolina Central University volleyball team concluded its 2014 campaign after suffering a 3-0 (25-11, 25-20, 25-12) setback to the reigning Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champions, Hampton University, on Friday, Nov. 21 during the first round of the MEAC Championships in Baltimore, Maryland.

Finishing fourth in southern division after wrapping up the regular-season on a two-match win streak, the Eagles faced defending champs, and the northern division's No. 1 seed Pirates during first round action.

After a quick 25-11 first set victory for Hampton, NCCU battled to stay alive during the second.

A Da'sha Brown (Gaston, South Carolina) service ace gave the Eagles their first lead of the set and match at 2-1, while a huge Ashley McCarthy (Elmont, New York) kill from Alice Genna (Rome, Italy) kept NCCU on top at 9-8.

The experienced Pirates answered with a 4-0 run pulling ahead of the Eagles 12-9 and maintaining their lead for the remained of the set,  taking the 25-20 victory.
Hampton completed the sweep, advancing to the semi-finals, after the 25-12 third set victory.

Sophomore Kelsey Murphy (Rancho Cucamonga, California) and redshirt junior Denni Johnson (Ashburn, Virginia) led the way offensively for NCCU with eight and seven kills respectively while Johnson completed an errorless match, hitting 7-for-12 (.583).

Genna and Pagie Phillips (Birmingham, Alabama) directed the Eagle offense with six assists a piece while junior Melissa Rabell Pineiro (Canovanas, Puerto Rico) led NCCU with nine digs.

The two-time MEAC Player of the Year Vendula Strakova led the Pirates with 18 kills on 20 attempts (.467).

NCCU wrapped up its 2014 slate 4-25 overall and 4-6 in league action under first year head coach Nicki Holmes.