ASHEVILLE, N.C. – A trio of Lady Eagles recorded double-digit kills in guiding the North Carolina Central University volleyball team to a 3-1 victory over Alabama A&M University Saturday morning in the UNC Asheville Invitational.
 
The Lady Eagles hit a season-high .191 in prevailing 21-25, 25-23, 25-22 and 25-23. NCCU (1-4) got into the win column for the first time and the Lady Bulldogs (1-10) lost their ninth straight match.
 
NCCU HIGHLIGHTS & STATS:
Senior Kelsey Murphy had her best match of the season with a team-high 13 kills. Senior Casey Curran and sophomore Jazmine Daye also reached double-figure spikes with 10 kills apiece.
 
Junior Paige Phillips set up the Lady Eagles' balanced attack with 43 assists, which matched her career-high assist total.
 
Sophomore libero Bree Simmons contributed a match-high 16 digs and Curran completed a double-double with 13 digs. Murphy was two shy of that mark with eight digs. Sophomore Whitney White chipped in five kills, one solo block and three block assists for 7.5 points.
 
ALABAMA A&M HIGHLIGHTS & STATS:
Senior Ashundria McNeal led all players with 21 kills. McNeal had 52 of the AAMU's 133 total attacking attempts (31%). The All-SWAC performer also paced the Lady Bulldogs with 11 digs.
 
Sophomore Jaelin Gant tallied 10.5 points in just three sets with eight kills, eight digs and two aces.
 
SET-BY-SET:
1ST: NCCU led 20-16 before Alabama A&M closed the opening set on a 9-5 run to take the early advantage. Freshman Terra Brooks recorded five of her six kills in the frame to lead the Lady Bulldogs to the four-point win.
 
2ND: The Lady Eagles leveled the score by controlling most of the second set. Trailing 6-5 early, NCCU won six straight points on sophomore Kierra Shipman's service rotation to catapult ahead for good. Five more NCCU points on Murphy's ensuing serves pushed the Lady Eagles cushion to 14-8. The Lady Bulldogs fought back and pulled to within one late at 24-23 before a freshman Nia Singletary kill finished off the set.
 
3RD: Murphy heated up with six kills in the third, including two quick blasts in a 3-0 NCCU run to pull ahead at 15-12. However, AAMU rallied to regain a one-point lead on three occasions late. The Eagles scored the equalizer each time and Murphy's sixth kill of the set put NCCU ahead 23-22. Curran then ended the game with two consecutive kills. NCCU hit .371 in the frame to win the important go-ahead set.
 
4TH: Alabama A&M was two points shy of forcing a fifth set with a 23-20 lead before the Lady Eagles flew past the Lady Bulldogs with five consecutive points. After an AAMU error gave NCCU possession, the Lady Eagles closed out the match with four consecutive kills. Daye had the first two points, Shipman then ripped the third and Curran ended the match with a hard hit down the left sideline.
 
OTHER NOTES, STATS & FACTS:
The victory was the first for NCCU first-year head coach Jody Brown (228th all-time for the veteran coach in his 18th collegiate season).
 
The win ended a 62-match losing streak for NCCU against non-MEAC member institutions, dating back to a 3-0 win over Tennessee State University Sept. 8, 2012.
 
Curran's double-double was her fourth at NCCU, but first as kills and digs. Her first three last season all included assists.
 
Daye has set a new career-high kill total in three consecutive matches.
 
Saturday's match was the first meeting between the two squads.
 
UP NEXT:
NCCU plays one more match in the UNCA Invite on Saturday against Stetson University. For more information, fans are encouraged to visit www.NCCUEaglePride.com.