DURHAM, N.C. – The Lady Eagles will become the first North Carolina Central University team to play on the new floor inside McDougald-McLendon Arena on Wednesday when NCCU hosts Gardner-Webb University in a non-conference volleyball match at 7 p.m. The contest will also serve as a Dig Pink match in support of breast cancer awareness.
 
The Dig Pink® Rally is The Side-Out Foundation's October event that brings together volleyball players across the nation to raise funds for breast cancer research, demonstrate the power of teamwork and show support for people with the disease. For more information or to make a direct donation, please visit Side-Out's website at www.side-out.org.
 
Match Information
 
Wednesday, October 14 at 7 PM
Gardner-Webb at N.C. Central
McDougald-McLendon Arena – Durham, N.C.
LIVE AUDIO | LIVE STATS
SERIES: Gardner-Webb is 4-0 against NCCU since the Lady Eagles started playing at the NCAA Division I level. The Runnin' Bulldogs knocked off NCCU in the first meeting this season in Boiling Springs, N.C. GWU won in four sets (25-12, 25-17, 19-25, 25-14) on Sept. 8.
 
North Carolina Central University Volleyball
 
The Lady Eagles are coming off a pair of 3-0 MEAC road losses at Florida A&M University and Bethune-Cookman University last weekend. NCCU (3-18 Overall) has a 2-4 record in home matches this season, all of which were played in the L.T. Walker Complex while the new McDougald-McLendon Arena floor was being constructed.
 
Junior Kelsey Murphy is the MEAC's attacking leader with an average of 3.56 kills per set and 11.59 attempts per set. Murphy – a 2014 all-conference honoree – posted her fifth double-double of the season on Sunday against Bethune-Cookman and ranks third on the team with 2.19 digs per set.
 
Senior Kelly Rossip is second on the team with 2.78 points per set. Rossip is cashing in 2.30 kills per set with a .225 hitting percentage and making a team-best 0.62 blocks per set.
 
Freshmen Kierra Shipman (1.53 kills/set) and Whitney White (1.08 kills/set) are averaging over one kill per set as classmate Sydney Sumner (2.13 kills/set) has missed the teams last six matches due to injury. Shipman earned MEAC Rookie of the Week on October 6 and White had a season-high eight kills against Florida A&M on Friday.
 
Junior setter Casey Curran contributes 7.47 assists per set and 1.61 digs per set.
 
Freshman Tamika Brekke (3.46 digs/set), senior Marilyn Sherbondy (2.34 digs/set), sophomore Paige Phillips (1.94) freshman Bree Simmons (1.05 digs/set) all contribute consistently on the back row for NCCU. Simmons also leads the Lady Eagles with 0.34 aces per set.
 
In the first showdown, Murphy led the Lady Eagles with 13 kills against Gardner-Webb and Rossip tallied her only double-double with 11 kills and 14 digs.
 
Gardner-Webb University Volleyball
 
The Runnin' Bulldogs are coming off consecutive home victories over fellow Big South Conference foes Presbyterian College (3-1) and Winthrop University (3-2) over the weekend. Gardner-Webb (6-14) is just 1-5 in true road matches.
 
GWU has a balanced attack with five players averaging at least two points per set in junior Taylor Lillard (2.49 kills/set), senior Tyra Montour (2.5 kills/set), sophomore Sydney Marshall (1.38 kills/set, 1.25 blocks/set), sophomore Kaelyn Dyson (1.79 kills/set, 0.83 blocks/set) and junior Jene Lee (1.55 kills/set, 0.79 blocks/set).
 
Senior defensive specialist Anna Pashkova ranks 12th nationally in the current NCAA Division I statistics report with her 5.27 digs per set.
 
The Runnin' Bulldogs also ranks 21st in DI out of 329 programs with 1.69 aces per set. Sophomore setter Justine Bowers highlights GWU's service line with 0.42 aces per set. Bowers also leads the team with 7.29 assists per set.
 
Gardner-Webb had its best hitting percentage of the season so far in the 3-1 win over NCCU in September. The Runnin' Bulldogs hit .371 and Lillard produced a match-high 17 kills. Pashkova chipped in 19 digs and Bowers set up the hot-hitting offense with 44 assists.