GREENSBORO
– One
match doesn't erase an entire season, but for about 75 minutes on
Friday, all was good with the North Carolina A&T volleyball team.
The Aggies defeated Winston-Salem State 3-0 (25-10, 25-14, 25-17) at
Corbett Sports Center. It was a match that included Aggie players
dancing on the court and Aggie fans of all ages dancing in the
bleachers.
After the game, fans lingered on the court, peppered with the
volleyball
and danced. Friday's win didn't nullify a season of difficulty. But
for
about an hour, Aggie volleyball was the life of the party. It was the
Aggies first sweep of an opponent since beating Gardner-Webb 3-0 on
Nov.
11, 2008.
The last time the Aggies and Rams met it was not a festive occasions
for
N.C. A&T. Top hitter Janae Mitchell didn't play because of an
illness in
a 3-1 loss to the Rams in Winston-Salem, N.C., on Oct. 11.
Mitchell and the Aggies obviously had vengeance on their minds.
Mitchell
finished with a match-high 13 kills and nine digs. Sophomore Bree
Dotstry added eight kills, just one attack error and two blocks, while
junior setter Amber Inman posted 32 assists, eight digs and four
service
aces.
In the first set, the Aggies jumped out to a 10-2 lead behind the
might
of Dotstry who had three of the first 10 points. The set was 18-points
old before the Aggies recorded their first attack error. Dotstry
concluded her strong set by elevating above the net slam down her
fourth
kill to clinch the first-set victory for the Aggies.
N.C. A&T kept the onslaught going by posting a 9-0 run in the
second set
to take 23-11 lead. The Rams closed the set with a ball handling and
attack error to give the Aggies the set.
The Rams posed more of a challenge in the third set. A Georgette Allen
kill moved the Rams to within two, 19-17. It was all Aggies from
there.
Senior Tiffany Mellette sparked a 6-0 Aggies with a kill, and fueled
the
run with two service aces to earn the Aggies their second win over the
Rams this season.
The Aggies head to Orangeburg, S.C., to face S.C. State on Sunday, and
return to Corbett Sports Center Tuesday night at 6 to face Elon on
what
will be Senior Night for Mellette, Mitchell and Stacey Malone.
