SAVANNAH, Ga. – Junior middle blocker Gabrielle Nathaniel led Savannah State University volleyball team with eight kills as the Lady Tigers (0-30, 0-9 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) fell to North Carolina Central University (4-22, 3-5 MEAC) 3-0 (25-17, 25-16, 25-20) on Sunday in Willcox-Wiley Gymnasium.
 
The Ontario, Canada native also led the team with six digs, two block assists and a service ace, while junior setter Caitlynn Masoe led the team with 25 assists and junior libero Alexis Washington added six digs. 
 
Freshman outside hitter Chinenye Ofodile added six kills and five digs, while junior outside hitter Jademone Jones added five kills with a .333 hitting percentage and senior outside hitter Christian Lyle also added five kills.
 
The Lady Tigers scored the first three points of the first set for a 3-0 lead, but the Lady Eagles scored the next eight points to lead by five, 8-3.  NCCU extended its lead to 17-9 by outscoring SSU 9-6, but the Lady Tigers scored eight of the next 11 points to close the gap to three, 20-17.  The Lady Eagles scored the final five points to win the set and to take a 1-0 lead.  Freshman outside hitter Makayla Tam led the team with three kills, while Masoe added five assists and Nathaniel and Washington each added three digs.  The Lady Tigers had more blocks, 1.0, and the same number of kills, nine.
 
NCCU scored the first four points of the second frame, but the Lady Tigers scored five of the next seven points to close within a point, 6-5. The Lady Eagles outscored SSU 19-11 during the rest of the set to win the set and to take a 2-0 lead heading into intermission.  Nathaniel and junior outside hitter Jademone Jones led the team with three kills each, while Jones had a .600 hitting percentage.  Masoe added 10 assists, while Ofodile and Washington each added three digs. 
 
With NCCU leading 6-4 in the final stanza, the Lady Tigers recorded back-to-back kills from Lyle and Masoe to tie the set at six.  Each team scored three points to keep the set tied, at nine. NCCU scored the next two points for an 11-9 lead, but the Lady Tigers scored the next three points to take a point lead, 12-11.  The Lady Eagles scored the next seven points to lead by six, 18-12, forcing a Savannah State timeout.  After the timeout, the Lady Tigers scored the next two points with back-to-back kills from Ofodile and Lyle to close within four, 18-14, but NCCU outscored SSU 7-6 during the rest of the set to win the set and the match.  Nathaniel and Ofodile led the team with three kills each, while Masoe added 10 assists.
 
The Lady Eagles were led by Kelly Rossip with 15 kills, Casey Curran with 31 assists and Marilyn Sherbondy with 12 digs.
 
The Lady Tigers finish its three-match homestand with Senior Day against South Carolina State on Sunday, Nov. 8 in Willcox-Wiley Gym.
 
Short Box Score (Match)
N.C. Central vs Savannah State (Nov 01, 2015 at Savannah, Ga.)
 
N.C. Central def. Savannah State 25-17,25-16,25-20
 
  N.C. Central (4-22, 3-5 MEAC) (Kills-aces-blocks) - ROSSIP,Kelly
  15-1-0; WHITE,Whitney 8-0-4; SUMNER,Sydney 8-0-0; MURPHY,Kelsey 4-0-4;
  CURRAN,Casey 1-0-1; SIMMONS,Bree 0-1-0; PHILLIPS,Paige 0-1-0;
  SHIPMAN,Kierra 0-0-1; Totals 36-3-5.0. (Assists) - CURRAN,Casey 31.
  (Dig leaders) - SHERBONDY,Marilyn 12; PHILLIPS,Paige 9
 
  Savannah State (0-30, 0-9 MEAC) (Kills-aces-blocks) -
  NATHANIEL,Gabrielle 8-1-2; OFODILE,Chinenye 6-0-0; JONES,Jademone
  5-0-0; LYLE,Christian 5-0-0; TAM,Makayla 4-0-0; GALLON,Ayree 2-0-0;
  MASOE,Caitlynn 2-0-2; Totals 32-1-2.0. (Assists) - MASOE,Caitlynn 25.
  (Dig leaders) - WASHINGTON,Alexis 6; NATHANIEL,Gabrielle 6
 
  Site: Savannah, Ga. (Willcox-Wiley Gym)
  Date: Nov 01, 2015   Attend: 83   Time: 1:18   
  Referees: Holly Meckley, Buz Thompson
 
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