Women's Volleyball 10/12/2014 4:05:00 PM

Volleyball Falls In Two Hard Fought MEAC Battles

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
SAVANNAH, Ga. – The Lady Tigers were unable to secure their first Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) win this weekend, despite two well fought matches against North Carolina Central and North Carolina A&T State.

On Friday, the Lady Tigers fell to North Carolina Central in three sets, 21-25, 19-25 and 22-25. Junior Justice Dilworth led the field with her second double-double of the season, recording 12 kills and 11 digs.

In the opening moments of the first set, Zariya Barnes pushed SSU out to a 4-2 lead with a service ace. Later, Ashley McCarthy knotted the score up at 6 on a kill, but SSU regained the lead on several NCCU errors.

On back-to-back service aces from Denni Johnson, the Lady Eagles took their first lead of the set, 13-12. Behind that momentum, the Lady Eagles pushed out to a 20-15 lead, forcing SSU to take a timeout.

Out of the pause, the Lady Tigers bounced back into the game with a 3-0 run, cutting the visitors lead to 22-18, forcing the Lady Eagles to take pause. NCCU took a 1-0 lead in the match behind back-to-back kills from Johnson.

The Lady Eagles pushed out to an 11-7 lead in the opening rally of the second set. Midway through the game, SSU struggled to keep up with the Lady Eagles as they extended their lead to 20-13.

SSU added two points late on serves from newcomer Autumn Session, but the Lady Eagles took a 2-0 match lead on a costly Lady Tiger error.

The Lady Eagles opened the third set with a 10-4 lead out of the gate. Out of an SSU timeout, the Lady Tigers fired back with a kill and service ace from Dilworth. Kills from Dilworth, and Gabrielle Nathaniel cut NCCU's lead to 10-15.

Out of an NCCU timeout, the Lady Eagles opened a 4-2 run that included back-to-back service aces from Emily Eswonia.

Trailing 17-20, Dilworth helped the Lady Tigers get back in the game with three straight service points, included a service ace and a kill from Session that knotted the game up at 20 all.

Later, two costly SSU errors put the visitors up 23-22, forcing the Lady Tigers to take a timeout. Out of the pause, the Lady Tigers committed two more errors to give NCCU their first win of the season.

McCarthy led the Lady Eagles with 12 kills, followed by Johnson with 10. Kelsey Murphy led in digs with 11.

On Sunday, the Lady Tigers looked to break a two-game losing skid and earn their first MEAC win as North Carolina A&T State paid a visit to Willcox-Wiley Gym.
In the opening set, Thomas served up three straight points, including two service aces, to lift SSU to an 8-4 lead.

The Lady Aggies bounced back with a 5-1 run to knot the game up a 9 all. After a back and forth battle, the Lady Aggies pushed out to a 16-13 lead. Later, Thomas served up two points, to cut the visitors lead to 19-17.

Down the stretch, SSU fell behind 18-23. Out of a timeout, NCAT registered the final three points with a service ace from Aleena McDaniel, an SSU error, and a kill from Te'Borah Hawkins for the 25-19 win.

It was all Aggies in the second set as they pushed out to a 17-7 midway through. The Lady Tigers struggled with errors down the stretch as NCAT went up 2-0 in the match with a 25-14 win.

The Lady Aggies were unable to contain the momentum in the third set, however, as teams traded point for point. SSU took an 18-15 lead behind a kill from Dilworth midway through.

Out of timeout, NCAT tied up the game at 18 on a kill from McDaniel. SSU responded with a kill from Christian Lyle.

An NCAT service error tied the set again, at 20 all. Errors from both teams again tied the game, at 22 all. Three straight SSU errors sealed up the 25-22 set win and 3-0 match win for the Lady Aggies.

Dilworth led the Lady Tigers on Sunday with seven kills. Libero Alexis Washington led in digs with 10. Samara Brown led the Lady Aggies with eight kills, followed by McDaniel with seven. Liz Martino led in digs with 12.

The Lady Tigers hit the road for two nonconference matches against Mercer and Georgia Southern. They return for a four-game home stretch beginning on October 24 against MEAC Southern Division rival Bethune-Cookman.

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Players Mentioned

#3 Gabrielle Nathaniel: MH; 5' 9"; Sophomore

#4 Alexis Washington: L; 5' 4"; Sophomore

#5 Justice Dilworth: OH; 5' 9"; Junior

#14 Autumn Lipscomb: MH; 6' 0"; Freshman

#15 Christian Lyle: MB; 5' 11"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#3 Gabrielle Nathaniel
: 5' 9"; Sophomore
: MH

#4 Alexis Washington
: 5' 4"; Sophomore
: L

#5 Justice Dilworth
: 5' 9"; Junior
: OH

#14 Autumn Lipscomb
: 6' 0"; Freshman
: MH

#15 Christian Lyle
: 5' 11"; Junior
: MB