The win puts the Aggies in position for their best start ever, which was in 1996 when they started 4-0. “We are off to a good start this season playing some good volleyball and we were able to sustain positive play for a long period of time,” said N.C. A&T coach Hal Clifton. “There are some things that we saw that we have to be better at but there were also some good signs. Overall, we competed well and that is the one thing that we have been talking about constantly. Competing.”
Sophomore Courteney Pitt recorded her first career double-double with a career-best 11 digs while tying a career-high with 17 kills. Throughout the weekend, Pitt garnered 48 kills finishing with double-figure kills in each match against N.C. A&T’s Southwestern Athletic Conference foes.
“Courteney is really progressing and it was nice to see her take the things she learned in the spring and actually start implementing them into the matches this weekend”, said Clifton. “She is getting better at knowing when to take the big shots, when to survive and when to make the other team play harder to get them out of system . The light bulb just keeps coming on with her and you see her make those right decisions.”
Junior Christa Wilson also had her first career double-double with 12 kills and 10 digs. Freshman Lily Walton was the third Aggie to reach double-figure kills with 10. She added eight blocks to her totals.
Defensively, the Aggies had 13 total blocks (three solo blocks, 20 block assists), held JSU to a .085 hitting percentage and posted a whopping 60 digs. Freshman Shaylynn Hall had five blocks and sophomore Edie Brewer had a career-best four to go along with her second double-double of the season (41 assists and 10 digs).
The Aggies came out in the first set hitting .484 on 16 kills with Pitt leading the way with seven kills and Wilson chipped in four. The set remained close through the first 20 points, but with a 22-19 advantage, N.C. A&T used a quick 3-0 run to close the set with consecutive kills by Pitt, Hall and Wilson.
In the second, a 10-1 run gave the Aggies a 17-9 lead. Freshman Macenzie Richards came up with a pair of kills and freshman Andrea Laboy-Rivera connected on a service ace during the run. N.C. A&T forced JSU into seven errors as the Tigers struggled with a .051 hitting percentage. The Aggie duo of Pitt and Wilson combined for nine of 15 kills as the Aggies hit .256 in the set.
With a chance to sweep the Tigers, the Aggies came up short in the third set thanks in part to 10 errors. JSU played a different style which suited them best in a set where they posted a .222 hitting percentage. Walton paced the Aggies with four kills as JSU’s defense held Pitt to only three kills. The Aggies trailed by double figures most of the set.
The Aggie play at the net in the fourth set proved to be the difference. N.C. A&T dominated with six team blocks led by Walton and Brewer each recording three block assists. The set opened with a quick 4-0 run by the Aggies thanks to three Tiger attack errors.
Wilson powered the Aggies through a stretch scoring three straight kills giving N.C. A&T a 12-5 advantage. An ace by Walton followed by an attack error by JSU extended the lead to 20-10. Walton used her height and came up with blocks down the stretch as the Aggies pulled out the set and match to further their hot start.
Walton was the difference in the fourth set tallying two blocks and two kills. N.C. A&T remains on the road for a 7 p.m. match at Elon on Tuesday, Aug. 28.
NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
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