DURHAM, N.C. – Talia Emmen totaled 24 kills and
Shalyn Bell added 21 kills and 13 digs as North Carolina Central edged Morgan State 3-2 (19-25, 25-22, 25-20, 19-25, 15-11) in the MEAC Volleyball Game of the Week on Friday at McDougald-McLendon Arena.
The Eagles (2-1 MEAC, 4-10 overall) collected their second straight victory and remained unbeaten at home against Morgan State in six matches. Friday's win was their fourth consecutive five-set home win over the Lady Bears in the series.
Bell had six kills and Emmen registered five kills in the fifth set to lead the Eagles. NCCU gained command by opening a 10-5 lead behind three consecutive kills by Bell.
Morgan State (1-2 MEAC, 2-13 overall) pulled within 11-10 but would get no closer. Two kills each from
Aniah Bass and Emmen during a 4-1 closing run finished off the Lady Bears.
Emmen, Bell and Bass (11 kills) all reached season highs in kills while
Breylan Fairley collected 56 assists. Fairley has 115 assists in two matches after tallying 59 assists, an NCCU Division I single-match record, in a five-set win over Maryland Eastern Shore last Sunday.
Hailey Gibbons chipped in 11 digs and
Alex Fuller had nine digs for the Eagles, who gained their first home win this season. NCCU led Morgan State in kills (63-51), aces (9-7), assists (62-45) and digs (60-57) despite hitting .175 for the match. Morgan State finished with a .246 hitting percentage.
NCCU began the match with a 5-0 lead but Morgan State regrouped in the first set. The Lady Bears led 21-19 before scoring the final four points to take the set.
The Eagles won the second set to tie the match and scored the last three points of the third set after leading 22-20 for a 2-1 match lead. Morgan State outscored NCCU 4-1 late after leading 21-18 to secure the fourth set before NCCU bounced back in the fifth set for the match victory.
UP NEXT
The Eagles will host defending MEAC champion Coppin State at the LeRoy T. Walker Complex on Sunday, Oct. 4. First serve is at 1 p.m.
