SAVANNAH, Ga. — Two-time reigning Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Rookie of the Week Arlanda Faulkner provided a match-high 14 kills for visiting North Carolina Central University in a 3-1 Southern Division loss at Savannah State University Friday evening.
 
The Lady Tigers used a season-high 55 kills in coming away with the 25-23, 25-22, 15-25, 25-15 victory to snap a six-match losing streak. Savannah State improved to 2-13 overall and 1-1 in the division.
 
NC Central (3-12, 1-2) next plays at South Carolina State University on Sunday at 1 p.m.
 
NCCU HIGHLIGHTS & STATS:
 
Faulkner added two aces and one block assist to her match-high 14 kills for a 16.5-point performance. Faulkner, who also had five digs, hit .149 for the match.
 
Senior Kierra Shipman tallied a season-high six kills while sophomores Da'Nesha Miller and Christine Alcox along with senior Whitney White all added four spikes. Freshman Morgan Goodwin topped NCCU's front-row defense with six total blocks (two solo, four assists).
 
The freshmen setting duo of Isis Mitchell and Celene Morris each posted a double-double. Mitchell led the way with 17 assists and 13 digs while Morris followed closely with 14 assists and 12 digs. Senior libero Erika Ianvole was a third Lady Eagle in double-digit digs with 10.
 
SAVANNAH STATE HIGHLIGHTS & STATS:
 
Sophomore Salma Gonzales supplied a rare triple-double with 10 kills, 16 assists and 12 digs. Junior Jamesse Scott topped the victor's offense with 11 kills. Other leaders included freshman setter Ashley Jordan with 33 assists, sophomore libero Leiri Lee Melendez Rodriguez with 16 digs and sophomore Tyran Chenault with nine blocks (one solo, eight assists).
 
SET-BY-SET:
 
1ST: Savannah State used a 6-1 run after calling a timeout with the scored tied at 11-all to take the lead it would never relinquish. The Lady Tigers needed four attempts at set point to final take the opener by the narrowest of margins.  
 
2ND: The closest set had 10 ties and four lead changes. A kill by Alcox had NCCU up late at 18-17, but the hosts won five of the next six points before winning by three. SSU hit a match-high .368 in the frame.
 
3RD: The Lady Eagles bounced back with a wire-to-wire win to extend the match. NCCU made 20 of its 63 total digs in the period to hold the Lady Tigers to just five kills. The maroon and gray led by as many as 13 points before setting for the 10-point win.
 
4TH: Savannah State quickly regained the momentum by scoring the first five points for its own coast-to-coast win. Sophomore Katelyn Atchison notched all seven of her kills in the clinching set for the Lady Tigers.