GREENSBORO (October 4, 2016) – North Carolina A&T volleyball found themselves in a defensive battle with Norfolk State Tuesday night in Moore Gymnasium, but persevered late in the second and third sets to hold on and defeat Norfolk State 3-0 (25-18, 25-23, 25-22).

The Aggies (5-9) won their third straight match, and for the first time since the 2004 season when the Aggies defeated Hampton (Oct. 16), Howard (Oct. 17) and Delaware State (Oct. 17), all three of those wins are sweeps. 

Junior Samara Brown led the Aggies with 11 kills and freshman Christa Wilson added nine. Jasmine Lindor, who ranks third in the MEAC in blocks, added six more to her totals. Freshman Leila Haynesworth added five more total blocks.

Despite the Aggies strong play at the net, the match looked as if it was headed toward a fourth set as Norfolk State jumped out to an early 5-0 lead in the third.  The Aggies did not secure the lead until Lindor blocked a Clarke Tyler attack to give the Aggies a 20-19 lead.  N.C. A&T wasn't able to pull away until a 3-0 run aided by two NSU attack errors gave the Aggies a 24-21 lead.  After an Aggies service error, Brown clinched the set with a match-clinching kill.  Wilson had six kills in the set and Brown's match-winner was her fifth of the set. 

The Spartans hung around throughout Set 2 as well despite never gaining the lead after the first point.  NSU tied the set at 22, forcing the Aggies to call timeout. A Spartans service error and attack error helped the Aggies take a two-point lead before eventually Brown ended the set with a kill.  Junior Alyssa Pitt and Brown each had three kills in the second. 

N.C. A&T looked the strongest in the first set, never losing the lead and widening the gap to seven at the end of the set.  Overall, the Aggies put up 10 total team blocks while the Spartans had nine.

The Aggies are preparing for a big weekend where they have a chance to take over first place in the MEAC southern division with wins.  Bethune-Cookman plays at Moore Gymnasium at 7 p.m., Friday. Florida A&M comes to Moore Sunday afternoon at 3.