COLUMBIA, S.C. – Junior
Casey Curran led the North Carolina Central University volleyball team with 21 assists and two aces in a 3-0 loss to host University of South Carolina in the Lady Eagles second match at the Gamecock Invitational on Saturday afternoon.
NCCU played each set tighter as the match progressed despite having to battle in front of USC's loud home crowd of over a thousand fans. The Gamecocks did hold off the Lady Eagles in straight sets by scores of 25-12, 25-16 and 25-19.
NCCU HIGHLIGHTS & STATS:Junior
Kelsey Murphy paced NCCU with seven kills and was followed closely by freshman
Sydney Sumner (6 kills), freshman
Whitney White (5) and senior
Kelly Rossip (4).
Freshman libero
Tamika Brekke reached the 10-plus dig mark for a second straight match with a team-high 12 lifts.
USC HIGHLIGHTS & STATS:The Gamecocks got a career-high 18 kills from junior Dessaa Legros to remain undefeated on the season at 2-0. Legros hit .424 with only four errors on 33 swings. USC hit .353 as a team.
Freshman setter Aubrey Ezell recorded her second straight double-double to start her collegiate career with 33 assists and 11 digs. Junior Joely Cabrera paced the Gamecocks with 13 digs.
SET-BY-SET:1ST: The Gamecocks scored nine consecutive points after NCCU tied the set for the only time at 2-2 – capped by two consecutive kills by Sarah Blomgren – to pull away. The hosts hit .346 and held NCCU to just four kills by four different Lady Eagles.
2ND: A kill and an ace by Murphy gave NCCU a quick 2-nil advantage, but the Gamecocks used another 9-0 run to pull ahead by seven. The Lady Eagles rallied two within two, 12-10, with an 8-3 comeback that featured kills by Sumner, White and Rossip. However, USC produced 17 kills on a sizzling .464 hitting percentage to hold off NCCU by nine.
3RD: NCCU continued to get better as the match progressed keeping the final set close throughout. The Lady Eagles once again jumped out 2-0 and only trailed by scores of 10-9, 15-13 and 20-17 before falling by six. Murphy blasted four of her team-high seven kills in the frame and Brekke contributed eight digs in the closest period.
OTHER NOTES, STATS & FACTS: NCCU posted 23 kills for a second straight match but the Lady Eagles had 10 less hitting errors than against N.C. State to finish with a .080 hitting percentage.
Saturday's match was the first meeting between the two volleyball programs.
The Lady Eagles played in front of an announced attendance of 1,375, marking the largest crowd NCCU volleyball has played for under the leadership of head coach
Nicki Holmes.
UP NEXT: NCCU wraps up play in the USC Gamecock Invitational against Southeastern Louisiana University on Saturday at 4 p.m.
Fans can listen to the game on the NCCU Sports Network and live stats will be provided. Links are available on the NCCU official athletics website at
www.NCCUEaglePride.com.