Tuesday, November 13, 2018

Tennessee State Hosts Darrell Walker's UALR Trojans On Tuesday

Darrell Walker
WATCH ON ESPN+ at 7 p.m. CT/8 p.m. ET
LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas  -- Little Rock hits the road for the first time this season, making the first of its two trips to battle Tigers in Tennessee. This one takes the Trojans to Nashville for a showdown with Tennessee State Tuesday, November 13, tipping off at 7 p.m. from the Gentry Center. The game will be streamed on ESPN+ with Ray Tucker handling the radio call on The Point 94.1 FM. Live stats will be available at TrojanStats.com with Twitter updates @LittleRockMBB.

SPIN THOSE WHEELS
Little Rock's trip to Nashville marks the first of 15 road games for the Trojans in 2018-19, covering nine different states in that span. Tennessee is one of six states Little Rock will play a pair of road games in this season, returning to the Volunteer State in December to face Memphis. Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, Alabama and Georgia are the other states the Trojans will play a pair of road contests while lacing them up for single games in Nevada, Oklahoma and Washington D.C.

STARTING FIVE
•  Little Rock hits the road for the first of 15 road games in nine different states in 2018-19.
• Tuesday's game marks the second all-time meeting between Tennessee State and Little Rock with the Tigers earning a 62-60 victory in 1992.
• Markquis Nowell enters Tuesday's game tied for third nationally in points per game, setting a program record for points in a debut with 34 against the Savage Storm.
• The win Thursday night was the 999th in Little Rock basketball history, leaving the Trojans one victory shy of 1,000 in program history.
• Darrell Walker became the 12th Trojan basketball coach to win his debut and the first to surpass 100 points in his first game on the Little Rock sideline.



Game 2: Tennessee State
DateTuesday, November 13, 2018
Time7 p.m. CT/8 p.m. ET
LocationNashville, Tenn.
ArenaGentry Center
RecordsLittle Rock (1-0)
Tennessee State (0-1)
WatchESPN+
ListenThe Point 94.1 FM
Live StatsTSUTigers.com
NotesLittle Rock | Tennessee State.
FROM ONE...
With the come-from-behind overtime victory over Southeastern Oklahoma State Thursday evening, Darrell Walker emerged victorious in his first game at the helm of the Trojans. Walker becomes the 12th Little Rock head coach to win his Trojan debut, and the third-straight behind Chris Beard (2015) and Wes Flanigan (2016), but holds the distinction of being the only head coach in program history to surpass the 100-point plateau in his Little Rock debut.

...TO 999
The thrilling overtime victory over Southeastern Oklahoma State not only got the Darrell Walker era at Little Rock off to an exciting start, it also moved the program one step closer to an impressive historical milestone. The victory was the 999th in program history, leaving Little Rock one win shy of reaching 1,000 all-time program victories. Playing its first season in 1930-31, the Trojans have accumulated 35 winning seasons, winning 20 or more games 11 times, as 662 of those 999 victories have come at the Division I level.

MR. NEW YORK CITY
The most impressive freshman debut in program history came Thursday night as 5-8 guard Markquis Nowellfinished with 34 points, eight assists, four steals and four rebounds against the Savage Storm. The 34 points for Nowell marks the most ever for a Trojan freshman in his debut while setting a new record for points by a Trojan at the Jack Stephens Center, surpassing the 30 points scored by Roger Woods in 2016 and Marcus Johnson Jr. in 2015. Nowell finished 12-of-24 from the floor and 6-of-13 from beyond the arc, scoring 12 points in the second half (including the game-tying shot with 1.6 seconds remaining) and 14 in overtime to propel Little Rock to the victory. 

FIRING FROM DOWNTOWN
Little Rock and Southeastern Oklahoma State put on quite the battle beyond the arc in the season opener Thursday, setting multiple Jack Stephens Center three-point records in the process.
• Combined three-point attempts: 76 (Previous: 51 vs. Centenary, 2015)
• Team three-pointers made: 18 - Southeastern Oklahoma State (Previous: 17 - Little Rock vs. ULM, 2011)
• Team three-pointers attempted: 47 - Southeastern Oklahoma State (Previous: 33 - Western Kentucky, 2013)
• Little Rock three-point attempts: 13 - Markquis Nowell (Previous: 11 - Marcus Johnson Jr. vs. Central Arkansas, 2016; Nikola Cicic vs. St. Gregory's, 2009)

Image result for sun belt conference logoSCOUTING THE TIGERS
2018-19: 0-1 overall, 0-0 Ohio Valley Conference
Last Game: L at Lipscomb (86-79)  |  Next Two: Nov. 15 vs. Carver; Nov. 17 vs. Fisk
Series: Tennessee State leads 1-0, defeating Little Rock 62-60 in Springfield, Mo. on Dec. 5, 1992
Head Coach: Brian "Penny" Collins (Belmont, 2006). First season at Tennessee State (0-1)

TROJANS AGAINST THE OVC
Little Rock's game at Tennessee State Tuesday marks the 23rd game the Trojans will have played against current members of the Ohio Valley Conference in program history, compiling a
n 11-11 overall record against the OVC. The most contests have come against Austin Peay, a team the Trojans have faced six times in program history. Little Rock has winning records against Southeast Missouri (3-1), UT-Martin (4-0) and Jacksonville State (1-0).

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS LITTLE ROCK ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

Monday Night Courts: HBCU Basketball Scoreboard 11/12/18

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2018



MEN
Philander Smith 59, #7 LSU-Shreveport 57
Wiley College 100, Tougaloo 60
Talladega 88, Mississippi College 84 OT
Chowan 86, Piedmont International 66
Maryland 82, North Carolina A&T 59
DePaul 91, Morgan State 63
Baylor 91, Prairie View A&M 80
Iowa State 85, Texas Southern 73
Rice 73, Alabama A&M 59
#11 Texas Wesleyan 94, Texas College 83
#2 LSU-Alexandria 76, #23 Xavier (La.) 68
Columbus State 71, Fort Valley State 64



WOMEN
Virginia State 88, Paine 71
Philander Smith 71, #18 LSU-Shreveport 64
Fisk 87, Crowley Ridge (Ark.) 72
Allen 60, Columbia (S.C.) 56
Savannah State 101, Carver College 49
William & Mary 88, Howard 75
SMU 62, Mississippi Valley State 47
LSU-Alexandria 72, Xavier (La.) 64
Coastal Georgia 74, Edward Waters 70
West Georgia 77, Albany State (Ga.) 71

Nuggets will travel to Oregon, play No. 22 Corban

Xavier University of Louisiana women's volleyball

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana will travel to play 22nd-ranked Corban at 6 p.m. PST Saturday in the 2018 NAIA Volleyball National Championship Opening Round. The NAIA announced Monday the tournament bracket and pairings, which include 44 teams and 12 matches this weekend.
     

The venue this weekend will be Corban's C.E. Jeffers Sports Center in Salem, Ore., the state capital and about 45 miles south of Portland. The XULA-Corban winner will advance with 11 other first-round winners and the top 20 seeds, which received byes, to the final site in Sioux City, Iowa. Pool play in Sioux City will begin Nov. 27, the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, and conclude with the semifinals and final Dec. 1.
     

The Gold Nuggets (26-6) qualified for NAIA nationals for the eighth consecutive year and eighth time overall with the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference's automatic bid. XULA earned the bid Saturday by defeating Tougaloo 25-3, 25-12, 25-11 in the GCAC Tournament final at SUNO's The Castle.
     

XULA is 0-7 at nationals, including home losses in 2016 and 2017.
     

It will be the longest-ever trip for XULA volleyball — it's 2,066 miles as the crow flies from New Orleans to Salem — and the Gold Nuggets' first match in the Pacific Time Zone.
     

Corban (20-11) earned an at-large bid after finishing fourth in the Cascade Collegiate Conference regular season and reaching the semifinals of the league tournament. The Warriors are one of four Cascade teams in the top 25.
     

Corban reached the national quarterfinals in 2017 with a team that had eight seniors. Adriana Aguayo, who had 354 kills for that team and a team-leading 344 this season as a junior, is the Warriors' lone first-team all-conference player in 2018.

The Warriors are 32-2 at home during the last three seasons. XULA won 15 times away from home this season, including seven victories in 10 attempts on opponents' courts.     

XULA Gold Nuggets
Location:  New Orleans, Louisiana
Colors:  Gold and white
Twitter:  @xulagold
2018 Record:  26-6
2017 Record:  23-3
Conference:  Gulf Coast Athletic
2018 Conference Record/Finish:  14-0/1st place regular season (8 teams), tournament champion
NAIA Ranking:  unranked
Head Coach:  Pat Kendrick
College Record:  516-448 (32nd season)
At XULA:  49-9 (2nd season)
Assistant Coaches:  Hilary LobensteinFranziska Pirkl
Leader in Kills:  Kayla Black, 396
Leader in Hitting Percentage:  Vivica Price-Spraggins, .408
Leader in Assists:  Eva Le Guillou, 1,011
Leader in Aces:  Eva Le Guillou, 46
Leader in Digs:  Beatrice Formilan, 419
Leader in Blocks:  Vivica Price-Spraggins, 84

Corban Warriors
Location:  Salem, Oregon
Colors:  Navy and gold
Twitter:  @CorbanAthletics
2018 Record:  20-11
2017 Record:  27-9
Conference:  Cascade Collegiate
2018 Conference Record/Finish:  15-5/4th place regular season (11 teams), tournament semifinalist
NAIA Ranking:  22nd
Head Coach:  Kim McLain
College Record:  86-41 (4th season)
At Corban:  86-41 (4th season)
Assistant Coaches:  Dick McLain, Diana Villalpando, Aaron Imig

Leader in Kills:  Adriana Aguayo, 344
Leader in Hitting Percentage:  Demi Winters, .322
Leaders in Assists:  Cierra Leopoldin, 661; Jadyn Mullen, 622
Leader in Aces:  Madison Pfaff, 38
Leader in Digs:  Kealani Ontai, 494
Leader in Blocks:  Demi Winters, 103


Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletics Director for Communications
Department of Athletics & Recreation
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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twitter.com/xulagold

www.facebook.com/xulagold 

No. 2 Generals withstand No. 23 Rush second-half rally

Xavier University of Louisiana men's basketballALEXANDRIA, Louisiana — In a matchup of ranked NAIA men's basketball teams, No. 2 LSU-Alexandria held off a second-half rally from No. 23 Xavier University of Louisiana and won 76-68 Monday.
     
William Loyd had 22 points and 10 rebounds for the Gold Rush (4-2), and Galen Smith grabbed a career-best and game-high 11 rebounds. Ed Carter had 11 points and four assists. Rayshawn Mart grabbed eight rebounds, all in the second half.
     

Brandon Ellis made five 3-pointers and scored 23 points for the Generals (5-0). Devin Jackson scored 14 points, William Claiborne had 13 points and 10 rebounds, and JaMichael Brown had nine assists.
     

A late-first-half 12-0 run gave LSUA a 42-32 halftime lead, but the Gold Rush rallied and trailed 44-42 after Carter's 3-pointer with 16:16 remaining. LSUA extended the lead to 70-57 after Brown's two free throws with 2:46 remaining, then a final push got the Gold Rush within six points twice in the final 75 seconds.

BOX SCORE
     

LSUA blocked 11 shots — five by Phillip Rankin and four by Rickey Brice — and had a 9-3 advantage in made 3-pointers.
     

The final scoring margin was the closest of the five all-time meetings between the Gold Rush and Generals. LSUA won the previous four games the past two seasons by an average of 18.5 points.
     

It was the third of six straight games against ranked opponents for LSUA, which will visit the Gold Rush at 7 p.m. Nov. 26. XULA lost for the second time in three days on the road after four straight wins.

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletics Director for Communications
Department of Athletics & Recreation
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
XULAgold.com
twitter.com/xulagold

www.facebook.com/xulagold 

Generals' late surge gives Nuggets 2nd straight loss

Xavier University of Louisiana women's basketballALEXANDRIA, Louisiana — Courtney Dawsey led a 14-0 fourth-quarter run Monday that lifted LSU-Alexandria to a 72-64 women's basketball victory against Xavier University of Louisiana.
     

Essence Wells and Kyla Duncan scored 15 points apiece for the Gold Nuggets (4-2) — who lost for the second time in three days on the road after four straight home wins — and Maya Trench scored 10.
     

Trench and Mikayla Bates had eight rebounds, four assists and four steals apiece.
     

Dawsey scored six points during LSUA's surge, and her basket with 5:54 remaining put the Generals ahead to stay at 48-47. Dawsey assisted on Danyale Bayonne's basket at 3:15 that closed the run and made it 60-47.
     
Bayonne scored 27 points, including 11-of-12 free throws, Dawsey scored 12, and Brittany Hall had 10 in LSUA's first-ever victory against the Gold Nuggets.
     

XULA led 27-26 at halftime after both teams shot 29 percent from the floor. The Generals outshot the Gold Nuggets 54 to 38 percent in the second half. LSUA made 26-of-33 free throws to XULA's 10-of-19.

BOX SCORE
     

The Gold Nuggets twice led by five, the second time at 29-24 after Trench's basket at 9:11 of the third quarter.
     

The Gold Nuggets will travel to Hattiesburg, Miss., to play William Carey at 5 p.m. next Monday.

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletics Director for Communications
Department of Athletics & Recreation
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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twitter.com/xulagold

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Monday, November 12, 2018

LeMoyne-Owen Magicians pull off tough road win at Shorter

ROSTER
ROME, Georgia -- Coach William Anderson starts the season with a tough win on the road. The Magicians tipped off in Rome Georgia for a "Conference Challenge" against Shorter University. The team finished the first half winning 34 to 28. LOC shot 44% from the field, 40% from the three point line, and 71% from the free throw line. Making free throws was a pivotal part for this basketball game. The second half was tighter than the first half; it was a back and forth battle between the two teams. However, the Magicians would go on to win this basketball game.

BOX SCORE

Key Players:

Jerry Hurt: 13 points, 3 steals, 4 rebounds, and 9-11 free throws

Jaquan Lawrence: 12 points, 1 steal, 1 block, 3 rebounds, and 8-9 free throws.

Andrew Anderson: 11 points, 2 steals, 4 rebounds, and 2-2 free throws.

LEMOYNE-OWEN MAGICIANS MAGICIANS SPORTS INFORMATION

Wiley Wildcats Hamilton Wins RRAC Player of the Week

Joshua Hamilton averaged 21.5 points per game.MARSHALL, Texas  -- After averaging over 20 points per game and helping the Wildcats knock off an National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II school and the eleventh-ranked school in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, Joshua Hamilton (SR/New Iberia, Louisiana) wins Red River Athletic Conference Player of the Week for November 5-11.

Hamilton scored 21 points to help the Wildcats defeat No. 11 Texas Wesleyan 87-78 on the road. He also contributed two steals. On November 5, Hamilton scored 22 points while leading the team with seven rebounds and four assists to defeat Midwestern State University 78-64. For the Week, Hamilton shot 53.3 percent of his shots – including four of 10 from 3-point territory.

The Wildcats are receiving votes in the NAIA Top 25 poll and are 3-0.

WILEY COLLEGE WILDCATS ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

MEAC Announces Weekly Football Honors

Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Logo - Go to homepageNORFOLK, Virginia -- Norfolk State quarterback Juwan Carter was selected as the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Offensive Player of the Week, the conference announced today. North Carolina Central’s Davanta Reynolds was named Defensive Player of the Week while Morgan State’s Josh Miles and North Carolina A&T State’s Micah Shaw both received Co-Offensive Lineman of the Week honors. Xavier Smith of Florida A&M was named Rookie of the Week while Bethune-Cookman’s Jimmie Robinson was tabbed as the Specialist of the Week.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Juwan Carter
Norfolk State
QB
6-0 | 175 | So. | Richmond, Va.

Carter completed 23-of-35 passes for 256 yards and three touchdowns to lead Norfolk State over Howard on Saturday. The sophomore finished with 297 yards of total offense as he also rushed for 41 yards off 11 attempts. Carter topped all MEAC quarterbacks this past weekend in touchdowns, passing average and ranked second in passing efficiency (149.7).

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Davanta Reynolds
North Carolina Central
DB
5-10 | 200 | R-Sr.
Tucker, Ga.

Reynolds was a one-person wrecking crew Thursday night as he led North Carolina Central with 12 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and a sack. His 4.5 tackles for loss led all MEAC defenders.

Co-OFFENSIVE LINEMEN OF THE WEEK
Josh Miles
Morgan State
OL
6-6 | 310 | Sr.
Baltimore, Md.

Miles graded out at 91 percent and paved the way for a Bears’ offense which gained 366 total yards, including 253 on the ground versus Delaware State. He recorded three pancake blocks and allowed no sacks.

Micah Shaw
North Carolina A&T State
6-1 | 264 | Sr.
Fayetteville, N.C.

Shaw graded out at 90 percent as he aided in helping North Carolina A&T State rush for 232 yards on the ground in the win at Savannah State. He had a season-high eight pancake blocks.

SPECIALIST OF THE WEEK
Jimmie Robinson
Bethune-Cookman
WR
5-8 | 165 | Sr.
Palm Coast, Fla.

Robinson once again played a major role in the outcome of Bethune-Cookman’s success as he scored eight points on special teams. The senior returned a blocked PAT for two points and changed the momentum of the contest with a 100-yard kick return for a touchdown. The return marked his third kickoff return for a touchdown on the year.

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Xavier Smith
Florida A&M
WR
5-10 | 165 | R-Fr.
Haines City, Fla.

Smith was the MEAC’s top receiver this past weekend as he caught eight receptions for 108 yards against South Carolina State. He averaged 13.5 yards per reception.

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NOTABLE PERFORMERS

Alex Brown (DB/South Carolina State)
Brown had five tackles, a tackle for loss, two (2) pass breakups and an interception in the Bulldogs’ 44-21 victory over top-ranked Florida A&M.

Kylil Carter (QB/North Carolina A&T State)
Carter completed 10-of-19 attempts, accumulating 53 yards and throwing one touchdown. He also rushed for 93 yards off 10 carries and scored a touchdown.

Joshua Chase (RB/Morgan State)

Chase rushed 18 times for 145 yards, including a 75-yard run which was the game’s lone touchdown in the win versus Delaware State.

Nigel Chavis (LB/Norfolk State)

Chavis notched nine tackles (six solo), with 2.5 tackle for losses. He also handed out a sack and forced a fumble in the win over Howard.

Tye Freeland (DB/Howard)
Accounted for 11 tackles in the contest at Norfolk State.

Cedric Jackson (OL/Bethune-Cookman)

Jackson graded out at 88 percent on the weekend, adding two pancake blocks, while yielding no sacks. He protected the offense, while they accumulated a total of 321 yards in the game.

Devin James (LB/Bethune-Cookman)
James handed out a season-high 14 tackles (three solo), assisted in a tackle for loss, while also recovering a fumble in the second quarter which was a game changer for the Wildcats.

Terry Jefferson (DB/Florida A&M)
Jefferson had a team-high nine total tackles with one tackle for loss, and a forced fumble Saturday against South Carolina State.

Daryl Johnson (DL/North Carolina A&T State)

Johnson had a total of eight tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and a sack as the Aggies defeated Savannah State.

Rico Kennedy (LB/Morgan State)

Kennedy posted five tackles (four solo), three tackle for losses, and handed out two sacks with a quarterback hurry in the shutout versus Delaware State.

Josh Nardone (PK/Norfolk State)

Nardone kicked a season-high three field goals and finished the game versus Howard with 11 points.

Tyrece Nick (QB/South Carolina State)

Nick rushed for 138 yards and three touchdowns on 20 attempts and was 5-for-11 for 90 yards passing in the win at Florida A&M.

Jerome Pettiway (P/South Carolina State)

Pettiway finished with four punts for 188 yards as he averaged 47 yards per punt with one punt of 50-plus yards.

Michael Rivers (P/North Carolina A&T State)

Rivers averaged 37.9 yards per punt on seven punts at Savannah State.

Deshawn Smith (RB/Florida A&M)

Smith rushed for 78 yards on eight carries (9.8 ypc) while scoring two touchdowns versus South Carolina State.

Alex Taylor (OL/South Carolina State)
Taylor anchored an offense line with a grade of 90 percent and accounted for six pancake blocks and no sacks at Florida A&M. The Bulldog offense rushed for 313 yards.

Isaiah Totten (RB/North Carolina Central)
Totten rushed for 190 yards off 36 attempts and scored two touchdowns versus Bethune-Cookman.

Marcus Williams (WR/Florida A&M)
Williams accumulated 133 yards on six kickoff returns, including a 47-yard runback into South Carolina State territory that resulted in a FAMU score. He also had 50 yards receiving on three catches.

MEAC MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Seedings Announced for 2018 MEAC Volleyball Championships

Seedings Announced for 2018 MEAC Volleyball ChampionshipsChampionship Central | Bracket

NORFOLK, Virginia — Howard and Florida A&M earned the top seeds in the Northern and Southern Divisions for this weekend’s 2018 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Volleyball Championships.
 
Howard finished 9-1 in MEAC play this season, and the Bison head into the tournament with a 17-10 overall record, having won 12 of their last 14 straight matches. Maryland Eastern Shore, the preseason favorite in the Northern Division, claimed the division’s No. 2 seed after going 7-3 in league play.
 
Coppin State went 6-4 in league play this season, qualifying for its first MEAC Tournament appearance since 2015 and doing so as the Northern Division’s No. 3 seed. Morgan State, as the division’s No. 4 seed, also qualified for this year’s tournament.
 
Florida A&M also went 9-1 in conference play this season, claiming the Southern Division’s No. 1 seed. The Lady Rattlers, in their first season under head coach Gokhan Yilmaz, have won 10 of their last 12 matches.
 
Bethune-Cookman and North Carolina A&T State both went 7-3 in MEAC play and split the regular-season series, with both teams earning 3-0 sweeps. But the Wildcats’ 3-1 win over Florida A&M on Oct. 5 gives Bethune-Cookman the No. 2 seed, with the Aggies claiming the No. 3 seed.
 
North Carolina Central, which went 4-6 in MEAC play this season, will be the division’s No. 4 seed.
 
Only the top four teams in each division are eligible to compete in the single-match elimination tournament. Based on the standings, Delaware State, Norfolk State, Savannah State and South Carolina State have been eliminated.
 
The 2018 MEAC Volleyball Championships will be held Friday through Sunday in Burr Gymnasium on the campus of Howard University in Washington, D.C. Competition begins on Friday at 11 a.m. with the first quarterfinal match. Saturday’s semifinals will start at 5 p.m., and Sunday’s championship finale will be at 8 p.m. and broadcast live on ESPNU and ESPN3.
 
Admission for the tournament is $10 each day and $25 for all three days.
 
For complete information on the 2018 MEAC Volleyball Championships, visit Championship Central at www.MEACsports.com. 
 
Friday, Nov. 16 – Quarterfinal Round
Match 1: North No. 2 Maryland Eastern Shore vs. South No. 3 North Carolina A&T State, 11 a.m.
Match 2: South No. 1 Florida A&M vs. North No. 1 Morgan State, 2 p.m.
Match 3: North No. 1 Howard vs. South No. 4 North Carolina Central, 5 p.m.
Match 4: South No. 2 Bethune-Cookman vs. North No. 3 Coppin State, 8 p.m.
 
Saturday, Nov. 17 – Semifinal Round
Match 5: Winner Match 1 vs. Winner Match 2, 5 p.m.
Match 6: Winner Match 3 vs. Winner Match 4, 8 p.m.
 
Sunday, Nov. 18 – Championship Match (LIVE on ESPNU/ESPN3)
Match 7: Winner Match 5 vs. Winner Match 6, 8 p.m.


MEAC MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

MEAC Announces Weekly Volleyball Honors

Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Logo - Go to homepage

NORFOLK, Virginia — Howard sophomore Jurnee Tipton and Maryland Eastern Shore senior Lucia Babic were named Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Volleyball Co-Players of the Week, the conference office announced today. Savannah State’s Norian Ceballos Plaza was named Rookie of the Week, while Morgan State sophomore Mykaela Ross earned Defensive Specialist of the Week honors and Morgan State junior Roi Wallace was named Setter of the Week.
 
Tipton (5-9, So., OH, Ypsilanti, Mich.) dominated in Howard’s three-set win over Norfolk State this past Friday, hitting .600 and racking up 18 kills. Averaging six kills and 6.67 points per set, Tipton also had four digs, a block and a service ace. Her performance helped the Bison hit .386 in the victory, which assured them of the Northern Division regular-season title.
 
Babic (5-10, Sr., OH, Sisak, Croatia) had a strong match against Morgan State to close out the regular season, racking up 20 kills and hitting .359 while also recording eight digs and three service aces. She also had 13 kills, five digs and two blocks on Friday against Coppin State.
 
Ceballos Plaza (5-11, Fr., MB/OH, Loiza, Puerto Rico) ended the regular season with a double-double against Bethune-Cookman – recording 12 kills and 14 digs. But her best match of the week came on Friday at Florida A&M, when she had 17 kills and hit .654. For the weekend, Ceballos Plaza averaged 4.1 kills and 2.4 digs per set, while hitting .299.
 
Ross (5-7, So., OH/RS, Farmington Hills, Mich.) was a forceful presence at the net for Morgan State in two matches this past weekend. Averaging 1.67 blocks per set, she totaled 10 stops at the net for the weekend. After racking up five blocks and eight digs on Friday against Delaware State, she added five more blocks on Sunday against Maryland Eastern Shore.
 
Wallace (5-9, Jr., S, San Dimas, Calif.) averaged 11.17 assists per set this past weekend, including a weekend-best 35 on Friday against Delaware State – a match in which she also had a service ace and three digs. She followed that up on Sunday with 32 assists, eight digs and a block against Maryland Eastern Shore.


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 Other Top Performers
Shayla Eugene (B-CU) had 14 digs against Savannah State and 11 against South Carolina State.
 
J’Nai Higgins (B-CU) had 38 assists and nine digs against Savannah State.
 
Jordan Jefferson (B-CU) had 22 kills and 10 digs against Savannah State.
 
Jade Smith (B-CU) racked up five blocks against Savannah State.
 
Jordan Celestine (CSU) recorded 14 kills against Delaware State, after notching 13 with a .500 hitting percentage against Maryland Eastern Shore.
 
Christa Johnson (CSU) had five blocks against Delaware State and four against Maryland Eastern Shore.
 
Brianna Lang (CSU) notched 44 assists against Delaware State.
 
Asia Stennis (CSU) had 13 kills against Delaware State and 11 against Maryland Eastern Shore.
 
Marcelle Butler (HOW) had six kills against Norfolk State.
 
Tamia Dockery (HOW) recorded 32 assists against Norfolk State.
 
Ivana Blazevic (MDES) had 37 assists each against Coppin State and Morgan State.
 
Kalysia Bates (MSU) had double-digit kills against Delaware State (11) and Maryland Eastern Shore (10).
 
Zoe McBride (MSU) racked up 11 kills and 11 digs, hitting .318 against Delaware State.
 
Edie Brewer (NCAT) notched 12 kills and 20 assists, to go along with six digs, against North Carolina Central.
 
Andrea Laboy-Rivera (NCAT) had 18 digs against North Carolina Central.
 
Lily Walton (NCAT) had six kills and four blocks against North Carolina Central.


MEAC MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS