DURHAM, N.C. – The North Carolina Central University volleyball team will open up Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) competition on the road with contests against Norfolk State University on Friday and Howard University on Sunday.
UPCOMING MATCHES:
Friday, Sept. 22 at 6 p.m.
NC Central at Norfolk State
Gill Gymnasium, Norfolk, Va.
VIDEO (HBCU+);
LIVE STATS
Sunday, Sept. 24 at 3 p.m.
NC Central at Howard
Burr Gymnasium, Washington, D.C.
VIDEO (Bison Live);
LIVE STATS
NC CENTRAL COURT
The Eagles have lost their last six matches and have not played since dropping a home match to Santa Clara on Thursday, Sept. 14. NC Central (1-8 Overall, 0-0 MEAC) finished tied for fifth in the league standings last season and was picked to finish fifth out of eight teams in the preseason poll.
The sophomore duo of
Emmie Modlin and Kamren rank in the top-10 hitters in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) with averages of 2.97 and 2.94 kills per set, respectively. Graduate student
Jeslyn Spencer also slips in the top-20 of the MEAC as she also averages over two kills per set.
NC Central swept Norfolk State last season, winning a pair of dramatic five-set matches against the Spartans. Howard picked up a pair of 3-0 wins against the Eagles in 2022.
NCCU Statistical Leaders
KILLS: #36
Emmie Modlin (2.97) and 13
Kamren Harper (2.94)
ACES: #10
Jeslyn Spencer (0.39) and #13
Kamren Harper (0.31)
ASSISTS: #1
Bella Dearinger (5.72) and #2
Azra Osmanovic (2.54)
DIGS: #9
Loren Johnson (3.75) and #1
Bella Dearinger (2.22)
BLOCKS: #20
Kennedy Clark (0.86) and #21
Jenelle Mason (0.58)
NORFOLK STATE COURT
The Spartans enter league play dropping a pair of matches at the Jefferson Cup Invitational hosted by the University of Virginia last weekend. Norfolk State (1-6 Overall, 0-0 MEAC) finished fourth in the MEAC standings in 2022 and was predicted to finish in the same spot in the 2023 Preseason Predicted Order of Finish Poll.
Senior outside hitter Shonte Seal is averaging 3.00 kills per set and was an All-MEAC Second Team honoree last season. Rookie Gabrielle Gilbert has been NSU's top player on attack in non-conference play with an average of 3.15 kills per set. Gilbert and Seal rank fourth and sixth in the league in kills per set.
Sophomore Sydney McCree was an MEAC All-Rookie Team honoree last year and she is supplying 7.77 assists and 2.12 digs per set in her second season with the Spartans.
Norfolk State Statistical Leaders
KILLS: #11 Gabrielle Gilbert (3.15) and #8 Shonte Seale (3.00)
ACES: #12 Catori Crawford (0.41) and #9 Trinity Mitchell (0.22)
ASSISTS: #1 Sydney McCree (7.77) and #2 Fabiana Mucciola (1.19)
DIGS: #2 Fabiana Mucciola (2.85) and #1 Sydney McCree (2.12)
BLOCKS: #10 Briana Ellis (0.60) and #6 Adiene Jideofor (0.50)
HOWARD COURT
The Bison are coming off a 3-1 home win against American University on Tuesday and will host South Carolina State in their conference opener on Friday before entertaining the Eagles on Sunday. Howard (4-8 Overall, 0-0 MEAC) shared the MEAC regular season title last season and was picked tied for first with Coppin State University to win the league title this year per the preseason poll.
Outside hitter Rya McKinnon is the reigning MEAC Player and Rookie of the Year and she is showing no signs of a sophomore slump leading the league with an average of 3.87 kills per set while also chipping in 2.09 digs per set.
Setter Kayla Diaz and outside hitter Jennifer Bolden joined McKinnon on the Preseason All-MEAC Team. Diaz is first in the league with 0.51 aces per set and second in the conference with 9.17 assists per set. Bolden joins junior Dami Awojobi with over two kills per set.
Howard Statistical Leaders
KILLS: #9 Rya McKinnon (3.87) and #28 Dami Awojobi (2.56)
ACES: #16 Kayla Diaz (0.51) and #28 Dami Awojobi (0.51)
ASSISTS: #16 Kayla Diaz (9.17) and #13 Leah Reeves (1.25)
DIGS: #4 Claire Simpson (4.06) and #9 Rya McKinnon (2.09)
BLOCKS: #156 Kaitlynn Robinson (0.75) and #6 Maya Gerlach (0.70)
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