DURHAM, N.C. – The North Carolina Central University will host a pair of Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference opponents on Homecoming weekend when the Eagles entertain University of Maryland Eastern Shore (Friday, 6 p.m.) and Delaware State University (Sunday, 1 p.m.) inside the LeRoy T. Walker Complex.
UPCOMING MATCHES:
Friday, Nov. 3 at 6 p.m.
Maryland Eastern Shore at NC Central
LeRoy T. Walker Complex
AUDIO ONLY (NCCU Sports Network);
LIVE STATS
Sunday, Nov. 5 at 1 p.m.
Delaware State at NC Central
LeRoy T. Walker Complex
AUDIO ONLY (NCCU Sports Network);
LIVE STATS
NC CENTRAL COURT
The Eagles went 1-1 in Baltimore, Maryland, last weekend, defeating Morgan State (W, 3-1) on Friday and losing at Coppin State (L, 1-3). NC Central (4-16 Overall, 3-8 MEAC) is in sixth place in the MEAC standings entering the weekend.
NCCU fans will be able to watch the Eagles play inside the Walker Complex for a third consecutive Homecoming weekend. NC Central is 3-1 in matches played in that secondary gym on campus over the past two years.
Sophomore
Emmie Modlin ranks sixth in the MEAC with 2.85 kills per set, leads NCCU's starters with a .217 hitting percentage while chipping in 1.74 digs per set, and is the reigning Co-MEAC Player of the Week. Classmate
Kamren Harper also ranks in the top-10 in the MEAC with 2.83 kills per set (8th).
Junior libero
Loren Johnson was named the MEAC Defensive Player of the Week for a second time this season on Monday. Johnson ranks among the league leaders in a pair of statistical categories with averages of 3.93 kills (3rd) and 0.33 aces (7th) per set.
Junior setter
Bella Dearinger ranks fourth in the MEAC with 6.90 assists per set.
In a narrow 3-2 road loss to UMES in Princess Anne, Maryland, on Oct. 6, NCCU dropped the decisive fifth set by a 16-14 score. Modlin recorded on of her four double-doubles on the season in that showdown, tallying a team-high 16 kills while totaling 13 digs. Harper and graduate student
Isa Dostal also had big performances in that road tilt with 15 and 14 kills, respectively.
The Eagles were swept, 3-0, in Dover, Delaware, on Oct. 8, with Modlin once again Leading NCCU's attack in the road loss to DSU with nine digs.
NCCU Statistical Leaders
KILLS: #36
Emmie Modlin (2.85) and #13
Kamren Harper (2.83)
ACES: #9
Loren Johnson (0.33) and #10
Jeslyn Spencer (0.32)
ASSISTS: #1
Bella Dearinger (6.90) and #2
Azra Osmanovic (2.40)
DIGS: #9
Loren Johnson (3.89) and #1
Bella Dearinger (1.96)
BLOCKS: #5
Amarah Johnson (0.57) and #20
Kennedy Clark (0.48)
MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE COURT
The Hawks have won their last two matches, picking up a big road win at Norfolk State (W, 3-0) on Friday and statement home win against Howard (W, 3-2) on Sunday. UMES (14-9 Overall, 7-4 MEAC) is tied for third in the MEAC standings with Norfolk State.
Eastern Shore ranks second in the league with a .213 team hitting percentage as the Hawks top two hitters in junior Ranyla Griggs (2.83 KPS), who is a two-time MEAC Player of the Week this season, and graduate student Derionah Abner (2.67 KPS) are both hitting over that average on the season. Sophomore Nkemijika Ikemefuna (2.37 KPS, a MEAC All-Rookie Team honoree last year, also averages over two kills per set and leads the Hawks with 0.26 aces per set.
The strong-hitting UMES attack as been assisted by a two-setter system while sophomore libero Valeria Matias is fourth in the MEAC with 3.59 digs per set.
Griggs ripped a match-high 19 kills in UMES's 3-2 home victory over NCCU last month and she is coming off a 21-kill performance in last Sunday's road win at Howard. Ikemefuna also netted a double-double for the Hawks against the Eagles with 11 kills and 13 digs while also tallying three aces.
UMES Statistical Leaders
KILLS: #34 Ranyla Griggs (2.83) and #12 Derionah Abner (2.67)
ACES: #2 Nkemjika Ikemefuna (0.26) and #9 Anjola Omolewa (0.24)
ASSISTS: #11 Romina Vacca (5.30) and #6 Anisa Dorlouis (3.56)
DIGS: #1 Valeria Matias (3.59) and #3 Isil Yilmaz (1.79)
BLOCKS: #9 Anjola Omolewa (0.75) and #10 Soleil Cotton (0.63)
DELAWARE STATE COURT
The Hornets bounced back from a 3-1 road loss at Howard last Friday with a 3-1 home win against Norfolk State on Sunday. Delaware State (13-12 Overall, 6-5 MEAC) – the reigning MEAC champions – are sitting in fifth place in the conference standings heading into the weekend that will feature a road match at South Carolina State on Friday before playing NCCU on Sunday.
Junior Alondra Maldonado is a two-time All-MEAC First Team honoree and she ranks fifth in the MEAC with 2.89 kills per set and with a .334 hitting percentage. Senior Karen Cordero (2.29 KPS) also supplies over two kills per set while ranking among the league leaders with 0.50 aces per set.
Cordero joins senior Sydney Lewis and senior libero Jasmal Cruz as Second Team All-MEAC honorees last year. Lewis is one of just three players in the MEAC averaging over one block per set and Cruz is second in the conference with 4.29 digs per set. Senior setter Malgorzata Andersohn was also Second Team All-MEAC, but in 2021.
DSU hit .306 in its win against NCCU last month. Maldonado had seven kills in that triumph.
DSU Statistical Leaders
KILLS: #19 Alondra Maldonado (2.89) and #1 Karen Cordero (2.29)
ACES: #1 Karen Cordero (0.50) and #20 Malgorzata Andersohn (0.46)
ASSISTS: #20 Malgorzata Andersohn (6.23) and #18 Alayna Lacy (3.87)
DIGS: #2 Jasmal Cruz (4.29) and #15 Valeria Otero (2.28)
BLOCKS: #30 Sydney Lewis (1.09) and #6 Kelsie Dawson (0.88)
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