DURHAM, N.C. — Senior outside hitter
Arlanda Faulkner ripped a match-high 13 kills for host North Carolina Central University Tuesday evening inside a loud McDougald-McLendon Arena, but visiting North Carolina A&T State University was able to rally for a 3-1 non-conference victory.
The Eagles won the first set and held late leads of 21-20 in the second set and 18-17 in the third set. However, the Aggies fought back to win those middle sets before closing out the match with a strong fourth set.
N.C. A&T won by a final score of 20-25, 25-23, 25-22, 25-11 as the Aggies, who are now new members of the Big South Conference, moved back over .500 on the early season at 2-1.
Faulkner, who led the Eagles in kills per set last season, continued her strong play to begin her final season by tallying more than twice as many kills as anyone else on NCCU's roster. Faulkner netted her 13 kills on 44 attempts with just five errors for a .182 hitting percentage. Senior
McKayla Young and junior
Abby Vacha followed Faulkner with six kills apiece.
Sophomore setter
Lauren Janok filled up the box score for NCCU with 28 assists, 12 digs and a match-high six aces. The dozen digs and half dozen aces were both career-highs while her 28 assists were just two shy of her best effort.
Alyssa Pieh made her first appearance in the libero jersey for the maroon and gray to begin her junior season and she came up with a career-high 16 digs, which led all players for both teams.
Faulkner ripped five of her 13 kills in the first set to help the Eagles fly out to the early lead. Faulkner's seventh kill of the match deadlocked the second set at 22-all, but the Aggies won three of the next four serves to level the match. NCCU fought back from an early five-point deficit in the third set to take an 18-17 lead on a kill by senior
Celene Morris before N.C. A&T used six kills in a closing 8-4 run to pull ahead in match. The Aggies then hit .304 in the fourth set to complete the comeback win.
Senior Edie Brewer paced the victors with eight kills, 18 assists, 13 digs and four aces. Freshman Naiya Sawtelle topped the Aggies with 10 kills.
UP NEXT: NC Central will play three matches in the Fairfield Inn & Suites Dunn Campbell Invitational in Buies Creek, North Carolina, on Friday-Saturday, Sept. 3-4.
