BALTIMORE, Md. – For the fourth straight year, No. 5 North Carolina Central fell to No. 4 Delaware State in the MEAC Championship quarterfinals on Thursday.

This defeat was the toughest.

The Eagles (10-18) were on the verge of reaching the MEAC semifinals for the second time in program history. But a successful coach's challenge by Delaware State (12-17) turned victory into a five-set defeat at the Physical Education Complex on Coppin State's campus. The scores were 28-26, 25-23, 22-25, 15-25, 14-16.

The previous scores against Delaware State were 3-0 in 2022 and 2023 and 3-1 in 2024. This year, the Eagles pushed the Hornets.

NCCU was clicking early as it took a 2-0 match lead. The momentum turned after the third set and Delaware State, the defending MEAC champion, rallied to force a fifth set, setting up a wild finish.

Leading 14-12, NCCU celebrated after what appeared to be the winning point on an attack error. A successful Hornets' coaching challenge wiped away the point and reversed the score to 14-13. Delaware State scored the final three points to earn a spot in Friday's semifinals.

The Eagles led 13-11 in the fifth set after a successful coaching challenge by NCCU's Jonathan Paulk. The lead stretched to 14-11 before Delaware State rallied.
Several Eagles played stellar in their final match in NCCU uniforms. Kamren Harper recorded a double-double of 23 kills and 10 digs and Makenzi Searcy added a double-double of 14 kills and 16 digs, both career highs, in addition to two aces and three total blocks.

Manuela Cripa Nasser finished with a career-high 54 assists and 10 digs and Loren Johnson had 15 digs and five assists. Tayah Little contributed eight kills, four total blocks and four digs and Amarah Johnson collected five kills and four total blocks.

Allyson Rouse, a freshman, tallied 12 kills for the Eagles.

The first three sets were close with the Eagles winning the first two sets but the momentum changed after the third set. The Hornets cruised in the fourth set which set up an intense fifth set.

The match was the last for the Eagles in a season that provided several highlights. NCCU secured its second double-digit win season and set a season-mark for non-conference wins (3) since becoming a full MEAC member in 2011.

Harper ended her career as the only Eagle with over 1,000 kills and 500 digs in the Division I era and Johnson became the first NCCU Division I player with over 1,000 digs.
 
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