Box Score
NORFOLK, Va. – The North Carolina Central University volleyball team won the final three sets to bounce back from a two-set deficit and shock host Norfolk State University, 3-2, in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) play on Sunday afternoon.
 
The Eagles have now comeback from a 2-nil set deficit twice this season, first pulling off the hardest of comebacks against Campbell University on Sept. 13. NC Central won by set scores of 13-25, 23-25, 25-22, 25-23 and 20-18.
 
Freshman Kamren Harper led the victorious Eagles with a season-best 21-point performance. Her big outing included 18 kills, three aces and one block assist. The 18 kills matched her season-high total.
 
A total of three freshmen all reached double-digit kills for the maroon and gray. Tori Wilson followed closely behind Harper with 19.5 points as she netted 15 kills, three aces and three block assists. Emmie Modlin rounded out the strong rookie play with 10 kills.
 
Junior Abby Vacha nearly a fourth Eagle to reach the 10-plus kills plateau as she contributed nine kills.
 
Modlin and Vacha both had season-high kill totals in the road conquest that ended a four-match losing streak for NCCU.
 
A trio of Eagles had double-doubles on the day. Harper completed her third of the season with 10 digs while both of NCCU's specialist supplied their own double-double performances. Sophomore setter Vanila Pulu-Suliafu logged season-highs of 38 assists and 21 digs for her sixth double-double while sophomore libero Loren Johnson garnered her first double-double with 18 digs and 10 assists.
 
The Spartans hit .462 in the first set and Carla Hernandez blasted one of her match-high 22 kills on set point to win a tight second set as Norfolk State (4-12, 4-2 MEAC) constructed its 2-0 cushion.
 
The Eagles started their comeback by hitting .350 in the third set, including six kills on just 12 swings by Harper to extend the match with a three-point set win. In another close set in the fourth, Pulu-Suliafu leveled the match with a kill on set point.
 
In the race to 15 points in the decisive fifth set there was 11 ties and nine lead changes that extended play to the final 20-18 score. Both teams served for match point twice before an error by the Spartans finally clinched the lengthy battle in favor of the Eagles.
 
NC Central (4-14 Overall, 3-4 MEAC) will next host Morgan State University in a league tilt on Friday, Oct. 21 at 6 p.m.