DURHAM, N.C. — The North Carolina Central University volleyball team returns home from a three-match road swing and will try and stay above .500 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference when the Eagles host Howard University on Friday at 6 p.m. and Norfolk State University on Sunday at 1 p.m.
MATCH INFO:
DATE: Fri., Oct. 15 vs. Howard (6 PM)
DATE: Sun., Oct. 17 vs. Norfolk St. (1 PM)
LOCATION: McDougald-McLendon Arena, Durham, N.C.
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NOTE: Fans are encouraged to check
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Howard Match Program
NC CENTRAL COURT:
The Eagles suffered their first two league losses of the season last weekend, dropping a pair of straight-set matches at Delaware State University and University of Maryland Eastern Shore. NCCU (4-10 Overall, 3-2 MEAC) is in a four-way tie for second place in the conference standings.
Senior
Ammaarah Williams has led NCCU in kills in all five MEAC matches to take over the team lead with an average of 2.87 kills per set. Williams, a Preseason All-MEAC selection, tops the maroon and gray with 3.55 points per set as she also averages a team-best 0.87 blocks per set.
Williams and senior
Arlanda Faulkner (2.69 KPS) both rank in the top-10 of the MEAC in kills per set.
Sophomore setter
Lauren Janok is a two-time MEAC Setter of the Week this season, but she missed NCCU's last match against the Hawks due to injury. She is supplying the Eagles with 8.40 assists (2nd MEAC), 2.93 digs, 1.87 kills and 0.42 aces (6th MEAC) per set. Senior
Celene Morris, who ranks ninth in the MEAC with 3.12 digs per set, has been NCCU's primary setter in prior years and had a season-high 24 assists against Eastern Shore.
Redshirt sophomore
Alyssa Pieh is fifth in the MEAC with a team-best average of 3.98 digs per set.
NCCU is 0-6 against Howard in its DI era, last falling to the Bison in a close 3-2 road match in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 25, 2019. The Eagles are 8-3 against Norfolk State in the modern era, including a 3-1 victory in their last meeting in Virginia on Oct. 27, 2019.
HOWARD COURT:
The Bison had a three-match win streak come to an end in their last match, falling 3-2 on the road to Coppin State on Sunday. Howard (6-11 Overall, 3-2 MEAC) has won the MEAC Volleyball Championship the past five traditional fall seasons and is tied with NCCU, Eastern Shore, Coppin State for second place in the league standings.
A trio of Bison are averaging over two kills per set in freshman Bria Woodard (2.73), junior
Alex Smith (2.45) and freshman Cimone Woodard (2.10). Bria an Cimone are twin sisters. Cimone Woodard is fourth in the MEAC with 0.83 blocks per set while junior Tamar Wells, the 2019 MEAC Rookie of the Year, is tied for sixth in the MEAC with 0.78 blocks per set (tied with NCCU senior
McKayla Young).
From the specialist positions, junior setter Kayla Diaz (5.98 assists per set) and classmate libero Essence Bell (4.38 digs per set) lead the Bison in their respective positions. Senior Busi Banda is a service specialist and she ranks fifth nationally with 0.65 aces per set.
Norfolk St. Match Program
NORFOLK STATE COURT:
The Spartans are coming off their first two MEAC wins, earning a pair of 3-1 home triumphs over Coppin State and Moran State last weekend. Norfolk State (6-11 Overall, 2-4 MEAC) is currently sixth out of eight teams in the MEAC standings and will play at South Carolina State on Friday before arriving to McDougald-McLendon Arena in Durham on Sunday.
Junior Shonte Seale, a juco all-region transfer from Dakota College, has taken over the reigns as NSU's top hitter with an average of 2.93 kills per set. Sophomore Paola Matos (2.40 KPS), a MEAC All-Rookie Team honoree last year, and senior Rachel Williams (2.33 KPS), who led the Spartans on the attack last season, also average over two kills per set. Junior Gracie Teeter, a transfer who won a NJCAA DI National Championship at Iowa Western Community College, is chipping in 1.15 kills per set and a team-best 0.80 blocks per set.
Freshman setter Caris Cross has made an immediate impact for Norfolk State, ranking just behind Janok for third in the MEAC with 8.11 assists per set. Senior Nicole Rodriguez is serving as NSU's libero for a second straight season and is second in the league with an average of 4.82 digs per set.
