White Sets Record in NCCU's Big Win over Florida A&M

DURHAM, North Carolina --  Freshman middle blocker Whitney White scored 20 points with a season-high 13 kills and a new North Carolina Central University four-set record 11 total blocks (3 solo, 8 assists) in leading the Lady Eagles to an important 3-1 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) win over perennial league contender Florida A&M University on Friday night inside McDougald-McLendon Arena.
 
With the win, the Lady Eagles still control their own destiny in a late playoff push to the postseason. NCCU (5-22 Overall, 4-5 MEAC) has won two straight matches and can clinch the fourth and final playoff spot in the Southern Division with a win in its final home match of the season against Bethune-Cookman University on Senior Day Sunday at 2 p.m.
 
The 17-25, 26-24, 25-22, 25-19 victory mark the first NCCU win over Florida A&M (6-20, 6-3) in the Lady Eagles modern era (NCAA Division I since 2007).
 
NCCU HIGHLIGHTS & STATS:
White earned her first collegiate double-double with her rookie marks of 13 kills and 11 blocks. White was part of all 11 NCCU blocks, which is also a new season-high total for the team.
 
Senior Kelly Rossip matched White with 13 kills.
 
Both NCCU setters tallied double-doubles with junior Casey Curran posting 24 assists and 10 digs and sophomorePaige Phillips contributing 18 assists and 12 digs. Curran also had a season-high six kills.
 
Junior Kelsey Murphy continued her stellar season with 13 digs, seven kills and four block assists. FreshmanSydney Sumner chipped in seven kills and 10 digs and senior Marilyn Sherbondy notched eight digs.
 
NCCU has hit over .200 in its last two matches – both wins – and fired at a .210 clip in front of the home crowd Friday. Rossip (.345), White (.276), Murphy (.240) and Curran (.167) were all very accurate in the Lady Eagles' balanced attack.
 
FAMU HIGHLIGHTS & STATS:
Preseason MEAC Player of the Year Pamela Soriano led the Rattlers with 16 kills and 14 digs. Setter Valeria Lopez and libero Valentina Carrasco tallied match-high numbers from their respective specialty roles with 45 assists and 19 digs.
 
SET-BY-SET:
1ST: NCCU had its worst hitting set at .091 and FAMU used a 9-3 run midway through the set to take over and eventually win the initial stanza by eight points. Soriano and Deija Martin both had four kills for the visitors.
 
2ND: After 12 ties and six lead changes, the Lady Eagles squeaked out an instrumental 26-24 win to change the momentum of the match. NCCU scored 20 of its 26 points on kills, including six by Rossip on just 12 attempts. After the Rattles tied the frame for the final time at 24-all, Phillips tipped over a fast-paced pass for the go-ahead kill and an ensuing block by White and Curran leveled the match at one set apiece.
 
3RD: NCCU led for most of the way by hitting .353 in the set but Florida A&M kept within striking distance by attacking at .289. The Rattlers slithered to within one late at 20-19, but the Lady Eagles won the next three points to stay in front. A solo block and two kills by White down the stretch inched NCCU to set point before a Sumner kill ended the period at 25-22. White was stellar in the set with seven kills on 10 swings with no errors for a .700 hitting percentage.
 
4TH: The Maroon and Gray never let up the pressure, quickly jumping out 11-4 and never trailing in the set. FAMU made one last push, closing the gap to two at 14-12 but NCCU responded by winning seven of the next eight serves to pull away and coasting to the six-point triumph.
 
OTHER NOTES, STATS & FACTS: 
NCCU earned its first win against FAMU in its modern era but the defending MEAC Southern Division champion Rattlers still dominate the series at 11-1.
 
White set the four-set NCCU Division I record for blocks in a four-set match with 11 blocks (3 solo, 8 assists), beating out the old record of 10 blocks (3 solo, 7 assists) set by Avanika Campbell against North Carolina A&T in 2009. White was one block shy of the NCCU overall record for blocks in a match, which was a 12 block-assist performance by Aqiyla Gomez against Presbyterian College in a five-set match in 2008.
 
UP NEXT: 
NCCU will celebrate Senior Day in its final home game of 2015 when the Lady Eagles entertain MEAC Southern Division champion Bethune-Cookman University on Sunday at 2 p.m. Rossip and Sherbondy will be honored just before the first serve. For more information, fans are encouraged to visit www.NCCUEaglePride.com.  



COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION