BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Newcomers Da'Nesha Miller and Erika Ianovale made impressive debuts for the North Carolina Central University volleyball team in a 3-1 loss to The Citadel Friday afternoon at the Hampton Inn Holly Springs Invitational hosted by Campbell University.
 
The Lady Eagles were leading the match midway through the third set before the Bulldogs fought back to win the momentum-shifting set with a 12-3 run. The Citadel closed out the match with its strongest play in the fourth to claim victory in the season opener for both programs by a final score of 25-19, 22-25, 25-21, 25-15.
                                                            
NCCU HIGHLIGHTS & STATS:
Miller, a freshman from Hilton Head, South Carolina, led the Lady Eagles with 11 kills and three blocks (one solo, two assists) for 13 points. She added 14 digs for a double-double in her collegiate debut.
 
Ianovale – a Sao Paulo, Brazil native who transferred to NCCU from the State College of Florida – added 10 points with nine kills and one ace.
 
Junior middle blocker Whitney White blasted seven kills without an error for a sizzling .438 hitting percentage. She also had three blocks (two solo, one assist). Classmate Kierra Shipman added six kills.
 
Junior libero Bree Simmons totaled 20 digs while senior setter Paige Phillips posted a double-double of 32 assists and 10 digs.
 
THE CITADEL HIGHLIGHTS & STATS:
Freshman Sharlissa De Jesus topped all players with a staggering 19 kills and 25 digs. Senior Moriah Smith, a Durham product, chipped in 17 kills and 19 digs.
 
SET-BY-SET:
1ST:  After NCCU scored the first point of the season, the Bulldogs raced out to a quick 7-2 lead and remained in front from that point. An ace by Simmons closed the deficit to 17-14, but The Citadel won seven of the next eight points to take the six-point win.
 
2ND: NCCU broke a 9-9 tie with a 6-3 run to pull ahead for good and level the match. The surge featured two kills and a block by Miller, who netted five of her 11 spikes in the frame.
 
3RD: The Lady Eagles flew out to an 18-13 advantage with White pounding down three early kills. A kill by De Jesus started the Bulldogs comeback as The Citadel regained the match lead with a 12-3 rally to finish off the set.
 
4TH: An ace by freshman Natasha Berrios Laguerre had NCCU up 2-nil early. However, the Bulldogs controlled much of the final game. The Citadel had four of its seven aces in the fourth to close out the match with a 10-point set win.
 
UP NEXT:
NCCU will play its second match of the day against Tennessee Tech at 4:30 p.m.