GREENSBORO, N.C. – Junior libero Alexis Washington led Savannah State University volleyball team with 17 digs as the Lady Tigers (0-20, 0-3 MEAC) fell to North Carolina A&T (3-7, 1-1 MEAC) 3-0 (25-18, 25-17, 25-20) Friday night in the Moore Gymnasium. 
 
Washington's 17 digs is tied for the fifth most in school history in a three-set match and was one off her career-high, which she had 18 digs against The Citadel on Oct. 7, 2014.  The Chino, Calif., native also led the team with four service aces.
 
Three Lady Tigers led the team with five kills each with senior middle blocker Christian Lyle, junior Gabrielle Nathaniel and freshman outside hitter Makayla Tam.  Lyle added two block assists, while Nathaniel added five digs and Tam added four digs and a service ace.
 
Junior setter Caitlynn Masoe led the team with 16 assists and added six digs, a service ace and a block assist, while freshman outside hitter Ayree Gallon added four kills.
 
The Lady Tigers scored three of the first four points in the opening stanza for a 3-1 lead, but the Aggies scored the next three points to take a 4-3 lead.  A&T increased its lead to two points, 7-5, but the Lady Tigers scored the next two points to tie the set at seven.  The next couple of points went back-and-forth as neither team had a lead of more than two points until NC A&T took an 18-15 lead and outscored SSU 7-3 during the rest of the set to win the set and take a 1-0 lead.  Nathaniel, Tam and Gallon led the Lady Tigers with two kills each, while Masoe led the team with six assists and with five digs.
 
The Lady Tigers took an early lead in the second set with a 2-1 lead, but the Aggies quickly scored the next two points to take a point lead, 3-2.  The Lady Tigers recaptured the lead at 6-5, but NC A&T scored the next three points to take a two-point lead, 8-6.  With both teams scoring a point for an Aggie 9-7 lead, the Lady Tigers scored the next two points to tie it at nine.  The Aggies scored the next six points to take a 15-9 lead and outscored SSU 10-8 during the rest of the set to win the set and take a 2-0 lead heading into the intermission.  Tam led the team with three kills and with a .429 hitting percentage, while Masoe added five assists and Washington had seven digs.
 
The Aggies took an early three-point lead in the third frame, 7-4, but the Lady Tigers scored the next four points to take an 8-7 lead.  NC A&T scored two of the next three points to tie the set at nine and outscored SSU 16-11 during the rest of the set to win the set and the match.  Lyle led the team with three kills and had a .286 hitting percentage, while Masoe added five assists and Washington added eight digs. 
 
The Aggies were led by Brooke Stamnes with 12 kills, Liz Martino with 23 assists and Ashley Johnson with 14 digs.   
 
The Lady Tigers remain in North Carolina to face North Carolina Central in Durham on Sunday at 1 p.m. before returning home for a non-conference match against North Florida on Tuesday at 6 p.m. in Willcox-Wiley Gym.   
 
Short Box Score (Match)
Savannah State vs North Carolina A&T (Oct 02, 2015 at Greensboro, N.C.)
 
North Carolina A&T def. Savannah State 25-18,25-17,25-20
 
  Savannah State (0-20, 0-3 MEAC) (Kills-aces-blocks) -
  NATHANIEL,Gabrielle 5-0-1; LYLE,Christian 5-0-2; TAM,Makayla 5-1-0;
  GALLON,Ayree 4-1-1; MASOE,Caitlynn 1-1-1; OFODILE,Chinenye 1-0-2;
  JONES,Jademone 0-0-1; WASHINGTON,Alexis 0-4-0; Totals 21-7-4.0.
  (Assists) - MASOE,Caitlynn 16. (Dig leaders) - WASHINGTON,Alexis 17;
  MASOE,Caitlynn 6
 
  North Carolina A&T (3-7, 1-1 MEAC) (Kills-aces-blocks) - STAMNES,
  Brooke 12-1-1; BROWN, Samara 8-1-5; PITT, Alyssa 7-1-2; MCDANIEL,
  Aleena 5-1-2; HILL, Marteen 4-0-6; RIVERA, Keniah 1-0-0; MARTINO, Liz
  0-0-1; Totals 37-4-10.0. (Assists) - MARTINO, Liz 23. (Dig leaders) -
  JOHNSON, Ashley 14; BROWN, Samara 7
 
  Site: Greensboro, N.C. (Moore Gymnasium)
  Date: Oct 02, 2015   Attend: 109   Time: 1:18   
  Referees: Joseph Asis, Kyle Smith, James Stancliff
 
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