The North Carolina Central volleyball team faced challenges during two matches at the Elon Phoenix Classic held at the Schar Center in Elon, N.C. on Friday.
In their first match against Murray State University, the Eagles initially took a commanding lead by winning the first two sets but ultimately lost the match in a dramatic five-set finish. The set scores were 25-19, 25-21, 14-25, 19-25, and 11-15. Emmie Modlin led the Eagles with 17 kills, while Kamren Harper and Makenzi Searcy contributed 16 kills each. Defensively, Loren Johnson stood out with 21 digs, supplemented by 12 digs each from Gabriela Felix-Baeza and Bella Dearinger. Kayden Cupid added eight blocks in the front row.
North Carolina Central established an early lead in the first set, which they won 25-19. They maintained a significant advantage in the second set, securing a 2-0 lead after a 25-21 victory. However, the Racers rallied to win the next two sets and took an early lead in the final set, never looking back to clinch the match.
Later in the day, the Eagles encountered another tough opponent in UNC Greensboro, falling in four sets with scores of 13-25, 13-25, 25-22, and 21-25. Searcy was the standout in this match for North Carolina Central, finishing with 10 kills, while Johnson again delivered on defense with nine digs.
After losing the first two sets, the Eagles managed to rally in the third set, seizing a 25-22 victory to narrow the match to 2-1. However, they could not carry that momentum into the fourth set, where they lost 25-21.
The Eagles have their next opportunity to rebound as they face the host Elon University on Saturday, September 7, at 10 a.m.
Notable performances from the matches included:
– In the first match, North Carolina Central had three players with double-digit kills and digs, with Modlin leading with 17 kills and Johnson contributing 21 digs.
– In the second match, Tayah Little recorded a team-high of three aces, with Searcy leading in kills once again.
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