PRINCESS ANNE, Md. – North Carolina Central University senior outside hitter Kelsey Murphy ended her collegiate career with a 10 kill performance in the quarterfinals of the 2016 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Volleyball Championship held on the campus of University of Maryland Eastern Shore Friday afternoon.
 
The Lady Eagles lost to defending champions Howard University by a 3-0 (25-11, 25-17, 25-18) score. NCCU finished its season at 6-17 overall. The Bison have won 14 straight games and will play Bethune-Cookman University in the semifinals on Saturday at Noon.
 
NCCU HIGHLIGHTS & STATS:
Murphy was one dig shy of her third consecutive double-double with nine digs. Murphy recorded her game-high 10 kills on 31 swings and a .129 hitting percentage. The Rancho Cucamonga, California, product finished her four-year career with 916 kills, which is an NCCU NCAA Division I program record.
 
Senior outside hitter Casey Curran added five kills and the sophomore middle blocker duo of Whitney White and Jazmine Daye each tallied three kills. White also paced the maroon and gray with two block assists.
 
Junior setter Paige Phillips chipped in 19 assists and eight digs. Sophomore libero Bree Simmons topped NCCU with 13 digs and Curran followed by scooping up 10 digs.
 
HOWARD HIGHLIGHTS & STATS:
2016 MEAC Player of the Year Khaila Donaldson matched Murphy with 10 kills for the victors. She also completed her 11th double-double of the season with 11 digs.
 
Howard hit .323 for the match with junior Jessica Young blasting nine kills and seniors Katherine Broussard and Dominique Cleggett each ripping seven kills.
 
Sophomore setter Tamia Dockery set up the Bison offense with 20 assists.
 
Broussard paced Howard's back-row efforts with 12 digs. Senior Whiney Fields did the same on the front row with six block assists.
 
SET-BY-SET:
1ST: The teams were tied for each of the first five points and NCCU held a brief 2-1 lead on a kill by White before Howard went on a 13-2 run to pull away. Young had five of her nine kills in the opener to help the Bison win by 14 points.
 
2ND: Howard won the first three points of the middle set and never trailed. NCCU only trailed by four late at 19-15 before the Bison clinched the set with a 6-2 run. Howard hit .484 with 15 kills to seal the coast-to-coast win by eight points.
 
3RD: The final set was the tightest period of the match with five ties and three lead changes. A kill by Murphy had the Lady Eagles up 7-5 before the Bison powered ahead with the next four points. Another Murphy spike kept NCCU within reach at 17-13, but Howard never let the Lady Eagles get any closer in sealing the sweep with a seven-point triumph.
 
OTHER NOTES, STATS & FACTS:
Howard is a perfect 4-0 against NCCU since the Lady Eagles joined the DI ranks in 2007.
 
UP NEXT:
Fans can follow the NCCU volleyball program throughout its offseason by visiting www.NCCUEaglePride.com.