DURHAM, N.C. — Sophomores Ammaarah Williams and Arlanda Faulkner both had season-best attacking performances in North Carolina Central University's regular season finale as the Lady Eagles knocked off Bethune-Cookman University, 3-2, Sunday afternoon in McDougald-McLendon Arena.
 
With the 22-25, 25-20, 25-23, 21-25, 15-9 victory, NCCU stayed above the Wildcats in the MEAC Southern Division standings to secure a second seed in the 2019 MEAC Volleyball Championships (best seed in MEAC program history).
 
The Lady Eagles finish the regular season at 8-23 overall and 7-7 in the MEAC. The eight total wins are the most since NCCU went 8-22 in 2012 and the seven conference are the most league triumphs since the Lady Eagles joined the MEAC in 2011.
 
NC Central will play the No. 3 seed from the Northern Division in the quarterfinals of the MEAC tourney on Friday. Howard University is once again hosting the league championship in Burr Gymnasium in Washington, D.C. The MEAC will announce the full tournament bracket and match times on Monday.
 
Bethune-Cookman (8-23, 5-9) will be the Southern Division's third seed.
 
NC CENTRAL HIGHLIGHTS & STATS:
 
Williams led the Lady Eagles with 20.5 points. She produced 16 kills on 31 attempts with just three errors for a .419 hitting percentage while adding a match-high seven blocks (two solo, five assists).
 
Faulkner led all players with 18 kills. She flirted with a double-double with eight digs.
 
Junior Christine Alcox also had a stellar attacking performance for the maroon and gray. Alcox netted 15 kills, reaching the double-digit kill plateau for a 13th time this season.
 
Sophomore setter Celene Morris tallied her 16th double-double with 58 assists and 12 digs. Her 58 assists is a new career best match total, surpassing her previous best of 54 assists in another 3-2 home win against Bethune-Cookman last season.
 
Junior libero Yomaries Villegas registered 20 digs and sophomore Isis Mitchell followed closely with 18 digs.
 
BETHUNE-COOKMAN HIGHLIGHTS & STATS:
 
Junior Faith Landreneaux paced the Wildcats with 16 points (11 kills, two aces, five blocks)
 
SET-BY-SET:
 
1ST: The Lady Eagles constructed a 16-11 advantage before the Wildcats used an 8-2 rally to level the set at 19-all. Bethune-Cookman kept the momentum and eventually won by three. The Wildcats recorded five of their 14 aces in the opening win.  
 
2ND: NCCU built another five-point cushion at nearly the same point as the first set, 17-12, but this time the Lady Eagles were able to maintain the lead to level the match. Williams ended the five-point win with a kill.
 
3RD: For a second straight set Bethune-Cookman trialed 17-12. The Wildcats were able to close within one point this time, but NCCU once again stayed ahead and a couple late kills by Faulkner helped the Lady Eagles hold on for the two-point win. Faulkner had seven kills in the middle set.
 
4TH: NC Central held another late lead of 19-17 before Bethune-Cookman closed the game on an 8-2 run to keep the match going as the Wildcats won by four points.
 
5TH: The Lady Eagles scored the first three points in the race to 15 points with a kill by Alcox, a service ace by Villegas and a block by Alcox and Williams. NCCU never relinquished the lead, hitting .333 in the set to win by six. Alcox logged four kills in the decisive set.