Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 CHARLESTON, S.C. – The North Carolina Central University volleyball team dropped a pair of matches during opening day of the Wingate Invitational, hosted by Charleston Southern. In the tournament opener, the Eagles fell 3-0 (25-17, 25-16, 27-25) to Jacksonville, followed by a 4 p.m., 3-0 (25-18, 27-25, 25-21) loss to USC-Upstate on Saturday, Sept. 12.

Senior outside hitter Da'sha Brown (Gaston, S.C.) led NCCU offensively during the day as she collected a team best 17 combined kills.

During the first match with Jacksonville, the Eagles and the Dolphins saw 16 ties and five leads changes although JU was able to pull off the 3-0 sweep over NCCU.

Brown led the way for the Eagles with nine kills on 33 attempts, with two errors (.212) while sophomore outside hitter Kelsey Murphy (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) contributed an additional eight kills in the match with Jacksonville.

Rookie Paige Phillips (Birmingham, Ala.) amassed a team-best 16 assists during the loss, while junior Marilyn Sherbondy (Fayetteville, N.C.) gathered nine digs and senior Ashley McCarthy (Elmont, N.Y.) earned 3 blocks.

In the second match of the day, the Eagles saw an additional 15 ties and six lead changes while battling with the Spartans. Despite leading majority of the set second, and taking the game into extra points, Upstate was able to capture the 3-0 shutout over NCCU.

Similarly to the first match, Brown led the way collecting an additional eight kills while McCarthy, Murphy, Denni Johnson (Ashburn, Va.) and Kelly Rossip (Port Charlotte, Fla.) each added five kills.

Phillips continued to direct the Eagles offense adding 17 assists during the match-up with the Spartans, while Sherbondy amassed 16 digs and McCarthy earned four blocks on the defensive end.

NCCU returns to action tomorrow, Sept. 13, as the Eagles wrap up Wingate Invitational competition facing the host, Charleston Southern at 11 a.m.