DURHAM, N.C. – Two Savannah State University volleyball student-athletes nearly missed out on a double-double as the Lady Tigers (1-25, 1-8 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) fell to North Carolina Central University (5-13, 4-3 MEAC) 3-1 (19-25, 25-20, 16-25, 20-25) Sunday in McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium. 

Graduate student Justice Dilworth needed one kill for a double-double as she finished with nine kills and a team-high 14 digs with two blocks, a service ace and a hitting percentage of .231, while senior setter Caitlynn Masoe need a dig for a double-double as she recorded nine digs, 12 assists, six kills, two service aces and a block.
 
Freshman middle blocker Dominique Ingram led the Lady Tigers with 14 kills with a .571 hitting percentage with four blocks, while junior setter Alee Quint led the team with 31 assists and added three digs. 
 
Sophomore outside hitter Chinenye Ofodile added eight kills with a .263 hitting percentage and two blocks, while senior libero Alexis Washington added 10 digs.
 
North Carolina Central scored eight of the first nine points in the first set to capture an 8-1 lead, but the Lady Tigers scored the next four points to close within three points, 8-5.  The Eagles scored 11 of the next 16 points to increase their lead to seven, 17-10, but the Lady Tigers scored six of the next nine points to close within four points, 20-16.  NCCU outscored SSU 5-3 during the rest of the set to win the set by six-point and to take a 1-0 match lead.
 
The Eagles started the second frame scoring the first five points and six of the first seven points to take a 6-1 lead forcing a Savannah State timeout.  After the timeout, the Lady Tigers scored the next five points to tie the set at six.  With the score tied at nine, SSU scored the next three points to take a three-point lead, 11-9, but NCCU scored four of the next six points to tie the set at 13.  Savannah State scored the next six points to take a six-point lead, 19-13, but the Eagles scored five of the next seven points to close within two points, 20-18.  The Lady Tigers scored the next four points to take a six-point lead, 24-18, but after a kill from Central, a kill from senior outside hitter Jademone Jones gave SSU the five-point set win and to tie the match at one.
 
North Carolina Central scored the first three points in the third stanza, but the Lady Tigers scored 12 of the next 21 points to tie the set at 12.  The Eagles scored six of the next seven points to take the lead by five points, 18-13, but the Lady Tigers scored the next three points to pull within two points, 18-16.  NCCU scored the final seven points to win the set by nine and to take a 2-1 match lead.
 
With the score tied at six in the final set, North Carolina Central scored the next six points to take a six-point lead, 12-6.  The Lady Tigers scored 11 of the next 20 points to pull within four points, 21-17, forcing an Eagle timeout.  After the timeout, NCCU scored the next two points to put its lead to six, 23-17, but SSU scored the next three points to pull within three, 23-20.  Back-to-back points by NCCU gave the Eagles the five-point set win and the match win.
 
The Eagles were led by Whitney White with 20 kills, Paige Phillips with 44 assists and Casey Curran with 15 digs, who also added 10 kills for a double-double. 
 
The Lady Tigers finish their season in one week with a trip to Orangeburg, S.C., to face South Carolina State University Sunday, Nov. 6 at 2 p.m.
 
Short Box Score (Match)
The Automated ScoreBook
Savannah State vs N.C. Central (Oct 30, 2016 at Durham, N.C.)
 
N.C. Central def. Savannah State 25-19,20-25,25-16,25-20
 
  Savannah State (1-25, 1-8 MEAC) (Kills-aces-blocks) - INGRAM,DOMINIQUE
  14-0-4; DILWORTH,Justice 9-1-2; OFODILE,Chinenye 8-0-2; MASOE,Caitlynn
  6-2-1; COLBERT,Charlinda 4-0-2; JONES,Jademone 3-0-1;
  NATHANIEL,Gabrielle 2-0-0; MONROE,Alaina 1-1-0; GALLON,Ayree 0-1-0;
  Totals 47-5-6.0. (Assists) - QUINT, Alee 31; MASOE,Caitlynn 12. (Dig
  leaders) - DILWORTH,Justice 14; WASHINGTON,Alexis 10; MASOE,Caitlynn 9
 
  N.C. Central (5-13, 4-3 MEAC) (Kills-aces-blocks) - WHITE,Whitney
  20-0-2; MURPHY,Kelsey 15-0-0; CURRAN,Casey 10-0-2; PHILLIPS,Paige
  6-1-2; DAYE,Jazmine 5-0-4; WHITE,Kennedy 4-4-2; SIMMONS,Bree 0-2-0;
  Totals 60-7-7.0. (Assists) - PHILLIPS,Paige 44. (Dig leaders) -
  CURRAN,Casey 15; WHITE,Kennedy 10; PHILLIPS,Paige 9; SIMMONS,Bree 8
 
  Site: Durham, N.C. (McDougald-McLendon)
  Date: Oct 30, 2016   Attend: 212   Time: 1:34   
  Referees: Charles Tudor, Ronnie Mutter
 
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