DURHAM, N.C. – Freshman
Da'Nesha Miller, freshman
Christine Alcox, junior
Whitney White and junior
Jazmine Daye all recorded season-high kill totals in leading the North Carolina Central University volleyball team to a 3-1 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) victory over Savannah State University in McDougald-McLendon Arena Sunday afternoon.
The Lady Eagles hit a season-high .264 on the way to posting the 25-20, 25-22, 22-25, 25-10 triumph. NCCU (2-13 Overall, 2-1 MEAC) won its second consecutive match while Savannah State (2-17, 0-4) has lost 16 straight contests.
NCCU HIGHLIGHTS & STATS:
Senior setter
Paige Phillips registered her fourth double-double with 43 assists and 16 digs, which were both season-high totals for the Birmingham, Alabama, product.
Miller paced all players with 15 kills while her 12 digs completed her third double-double. Alcox spiked down 14 kills to match her season-best mark. Daye and White both supplied 11 kills as the two middle blockers hit a combined .452. Daye also led all blockers with six blocks (one solo, five assists). White notched four block assists.
Junior libero
Bree Simmons lifted up a match-high 21 digs. Classmate
Erika Ianovale was a fourth NCCU player in double figure digs with 11. Freshman
Nahir Berrios Laguerre launched two of the Lady Eagles' five aces.
SAVANNAH STATE HIGHLIGHTS & STATS:
Freshman Salma Gonzalez was one kill shy of a rare triple-double with nine kills, 17 assists and 15 digs. Junior Jennifer Rosado added an 11-kill, 11-dig double-double for the visitors. Freshman libero Leiri Melendez tallied 18 digs and classmate Tyran Chenault chipped in five block assists.
SET-BY-SET:
1ST: Savannah State held a lead as late as 18-17 before NCCU rattled off the next four points that was started with a kill by Alcox. Miller finished off the frame with three straight kills as she blasted seven of her 15 kills in the opener.
2ND: NCCU led from the onset and 18 of its 25 points came on kills. Alcox paced the attack with six kills. The Lady Eagles flew out to a 14-7 advantage only to have the Lady Tigers roar back within two at 23-21 before a Miller kill and an SSU service error after a timeout ended the stanza in favor of the hosts.
3RD: Savannah State led for most of the game and by as many as five at 18-13, but NCCU fought back and tied the set for a fifth and final time at 22-22 with a 9-4 rally. However, three consecutive hitting errors by the Lady Eagles allowed the Lady Tigers to extend the match.
4TH: NCCU hit a dominating .387 to bounce back and finish off the match. The Lady Eagles flew ahead, 8-1, as Daye delivered four kills in the surge and the maroon and gray kept pulling away from that point.
UP NEXT:
NCCU begins a four-match MEAC road swing in Tallahassee, Florida, against Florida A&M University on Friday at 6 p.m.
