ORANGEBURG, S.C. (Oct. 2, 2016) – North Carolina A&T improved to 2-0 in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference play with a 3-0 (25-15, 25-23, 25-18) win over South Carolina State on Sunday at Dukes Gymnasium.

“It was a good win today.  We had a solid team effort.  Picking up another conference victory on the road is always a good thing,” said N.C. A&T head coach Hal Clifton.  “We executed very well at times, but we left some work to be done, too.  Our team is hungry to learn and grow and that's what we'll do.  Learn from the good and the bad.  We will get back in the gym and get back to work.”

The Aggies (4-9) hit a season-high .296 against the Bulldogs, led by their Set 1 performance where the team hit .409 with 12 kills, three errors and 22 total attempts.  N.C. A&T started the set with a 12-3 lead and closed it out with a kill from junior Samara Brown.  Brown led the way in kills during the first set, producing five kills on 11 attempts.  Sophomore Libero Keniah Rivera had two service aces in the set with six digs.

Junior Alyssa Pitt had a major performance in the second set, coming up with seven kills and only one attack error.  She ended the day hitting .500 with 11 kills on 20 attempts with only one attack error along with three service aces.  The Bulldogs fought back hard in the set, tying the set at 16 after a 5-0 run.  The teams battled until the Aggies were finally able to take a 2-0 lead with another set clincher from Brown thanks to a kill. 

The Aggies kept the lead throughout Set 3 after falling behind early 4-3.  The Bulldogs kept trying to take the match to four sets, but the Aggies held on thanks to back-to-back kills from Pitt.  The team connected throughout the match, largely in part to senior setter Liz Martino's 29 assists.  Brown and Pitt lead the way in kills with 12 and 11 respectively.  Freshman Christa Wilson continued to reduce her attack errors, hitting .143 with eight kills and five errors on 21 attempts.

Overall, N.C.A&T has improved to 4-9 and will return to action at home on Tuesday, Oct. 4 against Norfolk State (2-12, 1-2 MEAC) in Moore Gymnasium at 6 p.m.  The Aggies will resume southern division competition against Bethune-Cookman with a home match against Bethune-Cookman, Friday evening at 7. They host Florida A&M Sunday afternoon at 3.