DURHAM, N.C. – For a second straight match sophomore
Emmie Modlin was three digs shy of a triple-double, but this time the North Carolina Central University volleyball team came out on the winning side of another five-set match in defeating Gardner-Webb University on Friday evening inside McDougald-McLendon Arena.
Modlin recorded a career-best 19 kills, including smashing the match-winner just inside the end line. Modlin also supplied a career-high 21 assists for her second double-double of the young season.
The Eagles were playing their third consecutive five-set match to start the campaign. NCCU (1-2) closed the match on a 10-4 run after the two teams switched sides in the decisive fifth set to prevail, 3-2 (25-27, 25-16, 25-22, 16-25, 15-12) and defeat Gardner-Webb (1-3) for the first time in its modern era.
Graduate student
Isa Dostal joined Modlin with double-digit kills with a season-high 11 kills and a .391 hitting percentage for the match. The Eagles outhit the Runnin' Bulldogs for the match with junior
Bella Dearinger contributing a team-best 26 assists.
Sophomore
Kamren Harper and freshman
Amarah Johnson both chipped in eight kills, graduate student
Jeslyn Spencer added seven kills and freshman
Jenelle Mason netted six kills for a balanced NCCU attack.
Harper served up three assists and junior libero
Loren Johnson topped the maroon and gray with 15 digs.
The Eagles used several big rallies throughout the night to clinch the victory. NCCU was trailing by four late in the third set, 20-16, before using a closing 9-2 run to win that set. Modlin had a half dozen kills in that frame. GWU then led 8-5 in the fifth set before NCCU once again rallied with its clinching 10-4 surge.
NCCU trailed 24-19 in the opening stanza, but scored the next five points to extend the set. However, the Runnin' Bulldogs held on to take the early edge. The Eagles led throughout the second set to tie the match for the first time and Gardner-Webb did the same in the fourth to force the fifth set.
Freshman Jenna Otts led the visitors with a match-high 21 kills.
NC Central and Gardner-Webb will go at it again on Saturday as the two teams complete a home-and-away series in Boiling Springs, North Carolina. That match is slated to start at 4 p.m.
For more information on NCCU Athletics, visit NCCUEaglePride.com, or download the NCCU Eagles Athletics app.
