SAVANNAH, Ga.  – Freshman outside hitter Amanda Rullan Vilanova and freshman middle blocker Oneillia Fuller combined for 13 of the 22 kills as the Savannah State University women's volleyball team (3-19, 1-5 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) fell to North Carolina Central University (3-15, 3-3 MEAC) 3-0 (18-25, 14-25, 18-25) Monday in Willcox-Wiley Gymnasium.
 
Rullan Vilanova led the team with seven kills and added five digs and three blocks, while Fuller recorded six kills.  Senior setter Alee Quint led the team with 13 assists and added five digs, while freshman libero Leiri Melendez recorded a match-high 13 digs. 
 
Junior outside hitter Jennifer Rosado recorded four kills, four digs and two blocks, while freshman setter Salma Gonzalez recorded two kills, eight assists and four digs.  Freshman middle blocker Tyran Chenault recorded two kills and six blocks.
 
Savannah State scored three of the first four points in the first set to take a 3-1 lead, but the Eagles scored nine of the next 14 points to take a two-point lead, 10-8.  After back-to-back Lady Tiger points to tie the set at 10, NCCU outscored SSU 15-8 during the rest of the set to win the set and to take a 1-0 match lead.
 
The Eagles scored 11 of the first 13 points in the second frame to take a nine-point lead, 11-2, but back-to-back points for Savannah State cut the lead to seven points, 11-4.  NCCU outscored SSU 14-11 during the rest of the set to win the set and to take a 2-0 match lead.
 
North Carolina Central scored eight of the first 14 points to take a two-point lead, 8-6, in the final frame, but Savannah State scored four of the next six points to tie the set at 10.  NCCU outscored SSU 14-5 to take a 24-16 lead, but back-to-back-to-back points for the Lady Tigers cut the lead to six points, 24-18.  An Eagle kill gave NCCU the set win and the match win.
 
The Bulldogs were led by Christine Alcox with 10 kills and 11 digs for a double-double, while Da'Nesha Miller added 10 kills and Paige Phillips recorded a match-high 30 assists.
 
The Lady Tigers finish the two-match homestand against Mercer University Wednesday, Oct. 25 at 6 p.m. in Willcox-Wiley Gymnasium.
 
Short Box Score (Match)
2017 Savannah State Volleyball
N.C. Central vs Savannah State (Oct 16, 2017 at Savannah, Ga)
 
N.C. Central def. Savannah State 25-18,25-14,25-18
 
  N.C. Central (3-15, 3-3 MEAC) (Kills-aces-blocks) - ALCOX,Christine
  10-5-1; MILLER,Da'Nesha 10-0-2; WHITE,Whitney 6-0-5; PHILLIPS,Paige
  3-0-1; SHIPMAN,Kierra 2-0-0; IANOVALE,Erika 2-0-3; DAYE,Jazmine 2-0-2;
  YOUNG,McKayla 1-0-0; Totals 36-5-7.0. (Assists) - PHILLIPS,Paige 30.
  (Dig leaders) - ALCOX,Christine 11; SIMMONS,Bree 10
 
  Savannah State (3-19, 1-5 MEAC) (Kills-aces-blocks) - RULLAN
  VILANOVA,Aman 7-1-3; FULLER,Oneillia 6-0-0; ROSADO,Jennifer 4-0-2;
  GONZALEZ,Salma 2-2-0; CHENAULT,Tyran 2-0-6; SANFORD,Brooke 1-0-0;
  MELENDEZ,Leiri 0-1-0; Totals 22-4-6.0. (Assists) - QUINT,Alee 13. (Dig
  leaders) - MELENDEZ,Leiri 13; SANFORD,Brooke 6
 
  Site: Savannah, Ga (Willcox-Wiley Gym)
  Date: Oct 16, 2017   Attend: 154   Time: 1:27   
  Referees: Rocque Urena, William Lowery
 
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