DURHAM, N.C. – The North Carolina Central University volleyball team will entertain its first two Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) opponents over the weekend when the Eagles play Morgan State University (Friday, Sept. 29, 6 p.m.) and Coppin State University (Sunday, Oct. 1, 1 p.m.) inside McDougald-McLendon Arena.
UPCOMING MATCHES:
Friday, Sept. 29 at 6 p.m.
Morgan State at NC Central
McDougald-McLendon Arena, Durham, N.C.
VIDEO (NCCU Sports Network);
LIVE STATS
Sunday, Oct. 1 at 1 p.m.
Coppin State at NC Central
McDougald-McLendon Arena, Durham, N.C.
VIDEO (NCCU Sports Network);
LIVE STATS
NC CENTRAL COURT
The Eagles opened up league play last weekend with a pair of 3-0 road losses at Norfolk State University and Howard University. NC Central (1-10 Overall, 0-2 MEAC) will be trying to end an eight-match losing streak.
A trio of Eagles rank in the top-20 of the league in kills per set, including sophomore
Kamren Harper (7th, 2.86), sophomore
Emmie Modlin (9th, 2.76) and graduate student
Jeslyn Spencer (17th, 2.11). Junior libero
Loren Johnson is fifth in the MEAC in total digs (160).
NCCU has won its last four matches against Morgan State including a 3-0 home victory and 3-2 road triumph last season. Harper had 21 total kills in those two victories last year while Johnson reached double-digit digs in both conquests.
Against the other 'Eagles', NCCU lost a couple of close five-set matches against Coppin State last season. Harper and Modlin each had a double-double against CSU last campaign.
NCCU Statistical Leaders
KILLS: #13 Karmen Harper (2.86) and #36
Emmie Modlin (2.76)
ACES: #10
Jeslyn Spencer (0.38) and #13
Kamren Harper (0.26)
ASSISTS: #1
Bella Dearinger (5.76) and #2
Azra Osmanovic (2.54)
DIGS: #9
Loren Johnson (3.81) and #1
Bella Dearinger (2.07)
BLOCKS: #20
Kennedy Clark (0.71) and #21
Jenelle Mason (0.53)
MORGAN STATE COURT
The Bears lost their first two MEAC matches last weekend, dropping a 3-2 road tilt at University of Maryland Eastern Shore before suffering a 3-1 home loss to Delaware State University. Morgan State (5-12 Overall, 0-2 MEAC) is 0-5 in true road matches this season.
Morgan State leads the conference with 2.11 blocks per set, including a league-leading 1.06 blocks per set by freshman Jada Williams. Senior Makila Billingsley is MSU's top hitter, ranking 10th in the conference with 2.62 kills per set, while junior transfer Ainara Fernandes is top-20 in the league in kills per set (18th, 2.00) while also ranking third in the league with 0.44 aces per set.
Senior Jourdon Page averaged 10.5 kills per match against NCCU last season while Billingsley had eight kills in both of those contests.
Morgan State Statistical Leaders
KILLS: #3 Makila Billingsley (2.62) and #16 Ainara Fernandes (2.04)
ACES: #16 Ainara Fernandes (0.47) and #2 Mya Karrick (0.35)
ASSISTS: #4 Trinity Carruthers (5.14) and #6 Erin Carpenter (3.08)
DIGS: #21 Alyssa Sampson (2.71) and #18 Gabriela Hiciano (2.14)
BLOCKS: #1 Jada Williams (1.04) and #7 Justyus Jackson (0.83)
COPPIN STATE COURT
The Eagles started league play with two wins last weekend, defeating defending champion Delaware State (W, 3-1) on the road and surviving a home match against Maryland Eastern Shore (W, 3-2). Coppin State (12-3 Overall, 2-0 MEAC), a co-favorite to win the league title based upon the MEAC's preseason poll, is coming off a 3-0 home loss to American University on Wednesday. CSU will play at South Carolina State on Friday before arriving to Durham for Sunday's match against NCCU.
Coppin State has a trio of veterans that are all playing their fifth season of collegiate volleyball this season, who were all named to the 2023 Preseason All-MEAC Team. Middle hitter Ammaarah Williams has earned MEAC postseason awards each of her first four competitive seasons, including First Team All-MEAC each of the last three years and she ranks second in the MEAC with 3.42 kills and 3.97 points per set. Libero Ashley Roman is a four-time First Team All-MEAC selection and a three-time reigning MEAC Defensive Player of the Year, who tops the conference with 4.72 digs per set. Setter Andrea Tsvetanova has been an All-MEAC selection in her first two seasons at CSU, including Co-Setter of the Year last season, and she ranks second in the league with 9.17 assists and 0.45 aces per set.
Sophomore transfer TaKenya Stafford (Eastern Illinois University) is third in the MEAC with 3.36 kills per set.
Williams netted 14.5 points (8 kills, 6 aces, 11 digs, 1 block assist) against NCCU in her first contest against her former team last season and then contributed 22 points (17 kills, 5 aces, 11 digs) in her return to Durham last season.
Coppin State Statistical Leaders
KILLS: #5 Ammaarah Williams (3.42) and #20 TaKenya Stafford (3.36)
ACES: #9 Andrea Tsvetanova (0.45) and #17 Kaliko Schilling (0.40)
ASSISTS: #9 Andrea Tsvetanova (9.17) and #3 Andrea Serrano (1.17)
DIGS: #15 Ashley Roman (4.72) and #20 TaKenya Stafford (2.42)
BLOCKS: #19 Laila Ibrahim (0.91) and #6 Geraldyn Palacios (0.72)
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