DURHAM, N.C. – The North Carolina Central University volleyball team will play its fourth consecutive weekend tournament when the Lady Eagles participate in the James Madison University Invitational in Harrisonburg, Virginia, on Friday-Saturday, Sept. 18-19.
 
NCCU is scheduled to play Georgetown University (1 PM) and Norfolk State University (5 PM) on Friday and the host Dukes (10 AM) on Saturday.
 
NCCU Sports Network broadcaster Mike Wood will be on air with audio webcasts of all three matches that are accessible on the NCCU's official athletics website at www.NCCUEaglePride.com. Live stats will be provided for each tilt as well by James Madison sports information.
 
JMU Invite Schedule
 
1:00 PM - Friday, September 18
NCCU vs. Georgetown University
LIVE AUDIO | LIVE STATS
SERIES: Friday's contest will be the second meeting between NCCU and Georgetown in the Lady Eagles modern era (DI history since 2007). The Hoyas defeated NCCU, 3-0, in the first neutral-site showdown on Sept. 6, 2013 at Campbell University.
 
5:00 PM – Friday, September 18
NCCU vs. Norfolk State University
LIVE AUDIO | LIVE STATS
SERIES: NCCU boasts a 6-2 ledger against Norfolk State since 2007, but the Spartans did win the last clash in 2012.
 
10:00 AM – Saturday, September 19
NCCU at James Madison University
LIVE AUDIO | LIVE STATS
SERIES: The Lady Eagles will be competing against JMU for the first time as a DI program.
 
North Carolina Central University Volleyball
 
The Lady Eagles lost their 13th consecutive match to start the season in a 3-0 setback at home to Winthrop University on Tuesday. NCCU (0-13 Overall) is hitting just .112 on the year, while letting its opponents fire at a precise .276 rate.
 
NCCU's scoring is led by a trio of veterans, paced by junior outside hitter Kelsey Murphy. The MEAC all-conference performer is averaging 3.73 kills per set, which currently leads the league. Senior Kelly Rossip is hitting at a team-best .219 clip and averaging 2.51 points per set with 2.18 kills per set and a 0.44 blocks per set. Junior setter Casey Curran guides the Lady Eagles offense with 7.42 assists per set.
 
A convocation of Eagle freshmen have been making an immediate impact in NCCU's lineup, including Sydney Sumner (2.22 kills/set, 2.08 digs/set), Whitney White (1.04 kills/set), Tamika Brekke (3.75 digs/set) and Bree Simmons (0.38 aces/set).
 
Georgetown University Volleyball
 
The Hoyas are coming off a 3-0 loss to George Washington University in their home opener on Wednesday. Georgetown (4-6 Overall) is hovering around .500 and is trying to post its first winning season since 2011.
 
A pair of rookies in freshmen Alyssa Sinnette (144 kills) and Symone Speech (107 kills) have accounted for 52-percent of the Hoyas kills on the season averaging 3.79 and 2.82 kills per set, respectively. Fellow classmate Paige McKnight is setting up Georgetown's attack with 9.61 assists per set and is contributing a team-best 0.53 aces per set.
 
The Hoyas boast one of the nation's youngest lineups. Georgetown has six players that have played in all 38 sets so far this season and five of them are freshmen. Defensively, freshmen libero Kenzie Higareda paces the Hoyas with 4.82 digs per set.
 
Norfolk State University Volleyball
 
The Spartans also made their home debut this week with a straight-set loss to Radford on Tuesday. Norfolk State University is 1-9 on the season with its only win coming against Alabama State (NCCU lost to ASU in four sets two days earlier).
 
NSU goes to its senior hitter Angie Darcus over 30-percent of the time and for good reason as she leads the Spartans with 3.00 kills per set. Junior middle blocker Dominique Parker is second on the team in kills and is averaging 1.61 kills per set and a team-best 0.50 blocks per set.
 
Senior Darcy Moore is serving as Norfolk State's primary setter for a fourth consecutive season and is once again producing for the Spartans with 7.42 assists per set and 2.66 digs per set. At the other specialty position, junior libero Alex Irizarry averages 3.34 digs per set.
 
James Madison University Volleyball
 
The Dukes are coming off their third loss of the season in a tight 3-1 loss to the host Wildcats in the Villanova Classic finale on Saturday. James Madison (7-3 Overall) has posted a winning record in its first three tournaments this season and are 3-1 at home with the only home loss coming to No. 4 Florida.
 
Junior right side hitter Janey Goodman – a two-time All-Colonial Athletic Association honoree – is averaging a staggering 4.73 points per set, entering the week ranked No. 53 individually in NCAA Division I with 3.97 kills per set and averaging 0.88 blocks per set.
 
Freshman Bryn Recker follows Goodman with 2.91 kills per set. Recker paces a dangerous serving squad with 0.54 aces per set. Senior Sarah Patterson guides a JMU attack that is hitting .217 on the season with 9.69 assists per set. Sophomore Taylor Austin is the Dukes' defensive leader with 5.29 digs per set.