DURHAM, N.C. — Sophomore Arlanda Faulkner notched her second double-double of the season in the home opener for the North Carolina Central University volleyball team on Saturday afternoon in a 3-0 non-conference loss to Campbell University.
 
The Camels were able to win all three sets by the narrowest of margins – 25-23, 26-24, 34-32 – to escape McDougald-McLendon Arena with their second straight sweep over the Lady Eagles in as many days. Campbell improved to 2-4 on the season.
 
NCCU (0-5) will play a second match Saturday, hosting Wofford College at 5 p.m.
 
NCCU HIGHLIGHTS & STATS:
 
Faulkner led all players with 12 kills and she completed her third collegiate double-double with 10 digs.
 
The Lady Eagles had a balanced attack as all six starters recorded at least four kills. Junior Christine Alcox followed Faulkner with seven kills; both sophomore Celene Morris and junior McKayla Young tallied six kills; senior Jessica Pilivi added five kills; and sophomore Ammaarah Williams finished with four kills.
 
Morris added her own double-double from the setter position with 31 assists 15 digs. Four NCCU players reached double-digit digs with junior libero Yomaries Villegas produced a team-high 23 digs and Pilivi lifted up 13 digs.
 
Freshman Alyssa Pieh served up half of NCCU's six aces.
 
CAMPBELL HIGHLIGHTS & STATS:
 
Freshman setter Emily Mitter had a strong performance for the visitors with a double-double of 27 assists and 16 digs. She orchestrated a Camel attack that hit .260, including a dozen kills by senior Allena Heath.
 
SET-BY-SET:
 
1ST: Fans witnessed 13 ties and six lead changes in the opener that set the stage for the rest of the match. The Lady Eagles stayed close with their best hitting frame of the match at .278, including six kills by Faulkner. A kill by Morris had NCCU up 21-19 late, before the Camels closed out the first set on a 6-2 rally.
 
2ND: A late NCCU run that featured an ace by Villegas gave the hosts a chance at tying up the match by serving for set point at 24-22. Campbell survived with four straight kills, including two spikes by freshman Melody Paige to squeak out the 26-24 triumph.
 
3RD: The Lady Eagles had six more chances at serving for set point in a seesaw final set. Campbell was able to level the score all six times before scoring a go-ahead point as the scoreboard reached 30 points for both teams. It took the Camels four tries of their own on match point to put away the match. NCCU made 34 of its 70 digs in the third set, including eight each by Faulkner, Villegas and Pilivi. Freshman Ananda Patterson led Campbell with six of her 11 kills and four of her five block assists in the set.