TEMPE, ARIZ. – The North Carolina Central University volleyball team squared off against two top-25 programs during day two of the Residence Inn Invitational, dropping a match to the host No. 18 Arizona State Sun Devils 3-0 (25-9, 25-14, 25-11) before battling it out with the No. 8 Colorado State Rams, 3-0 (25-15, 25-20, 25-12) on Saturday, Sept. 20, inside Wells Fargo Arena.

Senior Ashley McCarthy (Elmont, N.Y.) and redshirt junior Denni Johnson (Ashburn, Va.) collected all-tournament honors after their efforts during the two-day invitational.

The first match of the day was all Sun Devils, as the Eagles were unable to keep up with the host squad, suffering a 3-0 setback.

Against ASU, junior Kelly Rossip (Port Charlotte, Fla.) led the offensive effort for NCCU with a team-best eight kills, on 17 attempts (.235) while rookie Paige Phillips dished a team-high 17 helpers.

Taking on their highest-ranked opponent of the 2014 season, the Eagles faced-off against CSU to wrap up their Arizona road stretch.

After dropping the first set 25-15, NCCU competed heavily with the No. 8 ranked Rams during the second set, as the two saw 10 times and five lead changes before the Eagles fell 25-20 and closed the match with a 25-12 third-set defeat.

Sophomore Kelsey Murphy (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) headed NCCU on the offensive end against the Rams with seven kills, senior Da'Sha Brown (Gaston, S.C.) collected five, while  Johnson, McCarthy and Rossip each added an additional four a piece.

Phillips continued to run the Eagle offense with 20 assists against CSU, as junior Marilyn Sherbondy (Fayetteville, N.C.) and senior Emily Eswonia (Tempe, Ariz.) each picked up five digs.

NCCU returns to action on Tuesday, Sept. 23 as the Eagles play host to Elon at 7 p.m., inside McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium.