DURHAM, N.C. – The North Carolina Central University volleyball team will conclude early-season tournament play with three matches at the Phoenix Classic hosted by Elon University on Friday-Saturday, Sept. 8-9.
 
The Lady Eagles will open up play against fellow Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) foe Norfolk State University on Friday at 4 p.m. NCCU will return to Alumni Memorial Gymnasium for two more matches on Saturday, first playing the host Phoenix at 12:30 p.m. before finishing up competition against Charleston Southern University at 4:30 p.m.
 
Fans can listen to all three matches on the NCCU Sports Network. Mike Wood will be on the air providing the play-by-play. Elon will also provide live stats for all three contests as well as video for the Elon/NCCU match. Fans can follow NCCU volleyball all season by visiting NCCUEaglePride.com and on social media at Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
 
N.C. Central Volleyball
 
The Lady Eagles are coming off three losses at the AmericInn Runnin' Bulldog Classic at Gardner-Webb University. NCCU (0-6) took host GWU to five sets before being swept by Wofford College and USC Upstate.
 
A quartet of Lady Eagles have paced NCCU's attack with junior Kierra Shipman leading the pack with 2.0 kills per set. She is closely followed by freshman Da'Nesha Miller (1.71 kps), junior Whitney White (1.62 kps) and junior Erika Ianovale (1.45 kps).
 
White, who is hitting a team-best .268, also averages 0.52 blocks per set. Ianovale was named All-Tournament at the Gardner-Webb hosted event.
 
Senior setter Paige Phillips orchestrates NCCU's offense with 6.81 assists per set. Junior Bree Simmons and freshman Nahir Berrios Laguerre has shared time at libero and are netting 3.48 and 2.57 digs per set, respectively.
 
The Lady Eagles were swept in a home-and-away series against Elon last year. NCCU last played Norfolk State and Charleston Southern in 2015 with the Lady Eagles defeating the Spartans and losing to the Buccaneers.
 
Norfolk State Volleyball
 
The Spartans started their season 1-3 at the Crosstown Invitational, knocking off Lafayette (3-1) and losing to Saint Francis (3-0), Central Connecticut State (3-0) and Lehigh (3-0). Norfolk State graduated its lone All-MEAC honoree from last season.
 
Two freshmen are averaging over two kills per set for NSU in Taylor Eicholborger (2.77) and Jazmine Craig (2.09). Classmate Clara Kick is adding 1.23 blocks per set to her 1.38 kills per set for over two points per set.
 
Senior Hope Forsythe (4.31 assists/set) and freshman Quiana Griffin (4.15 aps) have shared the setting duties for the Spartans while Melvina Brown (4.23 digs/set) and senior Tori Tulensru (3.15 dps) highlight the squad's defensive efforts.
 
Elon Volleyball
 
The Phoenix are 5-3 after knocking off Gardner-Webb on Tuesday in straight sets.
 
Senior outside hitter Sydney Busa is a reigning Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) all-conference honoree and she is having a great start to her final season at Elon. Busa is averaging 4.47 kills per set. Junior Kam Terry follows closely behind Busa with 4.23 kills per set.
 
Junior Maddie Jaudon leads the Phoenix with 4.63 digs per set and freshman sKodi Garcia has taken over at setter and is dishing out 10.53 assists per set.
 
Charleston Southern Volleyball
 
After going winless in tournaments at Western Carolina and UAB, the Buccaneers got in the win column on Tuesday defeating South Carolina State in their home opener. Charleston Southern is 1-7 overall.
 
Junior libero Madison Martin highlights the Bucs lineup as a reigning First Team Big South Conference all-conference selection. Martin is averaging 4.61 digs per set and 0.45 aces per set.
 
Offensively, CSU is led by junior Hannah Western (2.55 kills/set, 2.94 digs/set) and senior Kylie Klein (2.16 kills/set, 0.74 blocks/set). Sophomore setter Rachel Smith averages 8.39 assists per set.