DURHAM, N.C. – The North Carolina Central University volleyball team will begin its 10-game league schedule against Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Southern Division opponents with a clash against in-state rival North Carolina A&T State University on Friday at 7 p.m.
 
Admission is free to the match at the L.T. Walker Complex and Lady Eagles' fans are encouraged to wear maroon in support of NCCU.
 
MATCH NOTES/PROGRAM
 
Friday, Sept. 25 at 7 PM
North Carolina A&T at N.C. Central
L.T. Walker Complex in Durham, N.C.
LIVE AUDIO | LIVE STATS
 
SERIES: The two programs split last season's two match-ups with the home team winning each tilt. NCCU holds a commanding 13-4 series advantage since the Lady Eagles started competing at the NCAA Division I level in 2007.
 
North Carolina Central University Volleyball
 
The Lady Eagles last went 1-2 in its fourth weekend tournament of the season at the James Madison University Invitational. NCCU (1-15 Overall, 0-0 MEAC) picked up its first win against MEAC Northern Division member Norfolk State in a dramatic five-set triumph on Friday.
 
NCCU posted a 4-6 ledger against the MEAC Southern Division in 2014 and finished fourth out of six teams in the division. The Lady Eagles were picked to finish in the same spot in the conference's preseason poll released this summer.
 
Junior outside hitter Kelsey Murphy – a MEAC preseason all-conference snub after earning Third Team All-MEAC honors at the end of the 2014 season – has been ranked in the top three of the league in kills per set throughout the first month of the season and is currently maintaining an average of 3.40 kills per set.
 
Senior Kelly Rossip follows Murphy with 2.18 kills per set and is the team-leader with a .212 hitting percentage and 0.52 blocks per set. Freshman Sydney Sumner is boasting 2.13 kills per set in her rookie campaign and she joins Murphy in averaging over two digs per set.
 
Junior transfer Casey Curran has taken over NCCU's setting position and has been named all-tournament twice this season averaging 7.14 assists per set.
 
Defensively, freshman Tamika Brekke (3.69 digs/set), senior Marilyn Sherbondy (2.06) and sophomore Paige Phillips (1.45) have all worn the libero jersey on the court for the Lady Eagles this season.
 
North Carolina A&T State University Volleyball
 
The Aggies have played the fewest matches in the MEAC and will be competing for the first time in 10 days on Friday. North Carolina A&T (2-6 Overall, 0-0 MEAC) also has a five-set win against Norfolk State and a four-set loss to Alabama State to match similar results by NCCU against those same teams.
NCAT went 6-4 in the MEAC Southern Division in 2014 to finish third in the divisional standings and are once again picked to finish third out of six teams.
 
The Aggies roster is centered on senior libero Ashley Johnson, who is a MEAC preseason all-conference selection. Johnson – a four-year starter for NCAT and a MEAC All-Conference First Team selection in 2012 – is averaging 3.45 digs per set.
 
Senior Brooke Stamnes (2.74 kills/set) and Aleena McDaniel (2.23) receive the ball over 50% of the time on attack but it is Samara Brown (2.56) that has the team's best hitting percentage (.213). Sophomore Jasmine Lindor (1.70 kills/set, .208 hitting percentage) and Alyssa Pitt (1.45 kills/set, 1.06 blocks/set) also factor in the Aggies offense.
 
Freshman setter Kayla Finnerty paces NCAT with 7.76 assists per set and leads a dangerous Aggies serving team that ranks second in the MEAC in aces per set. Finnerty is averaging over an ace per match and is one of six Aggies with very productive service ace totals.