MONTGOMERY, Ala. (August 27, 2016) – North Carolina A&T earned its first volleyball victory of the season with a three-set win over Jackson State (25-17, 25-21, 26-24) during the second day of the ISTAP Collegiate Cup at Alabama State's Dunn-Oliver Acadome on Saturday. Later in the day, the Aggies were defeated by Texas Southern in three sets (25-15, 25-18, 25-17).   

The Aggies were led again in the first match by junior Samara Brown, who posted 11 kills. Junior Jasmine Lindor led the team with a .286 hitting percentage with four kills and a service ace, while another junior, Alyssa Pitt, showed up with eight kills, a .263 hitting percentage and 10 digs. 

In the first set, a victory was clinched on an attack error by Tiger hitter Tamisha Barry. Lindor and freshman Christa Wilson had two block assists apiece in Set 1.  In Set 2, N.C. A&T greatly benefited from Jackson State's 10 attack errors and N.C. A&T's .357 hitting percentage.

Four of N.C. A&T's attack errors came with match point on the line, allowing JSU to cut the Aggies lead to 24-21 before Pitt killed the Tigers' hope with a successful attack. To close out the match, the Aggies came away with the final three points after trailing 24-23 to fend off the 2015 Southwestern Athletic Conference champion Jackson State Tigers as Wilson's kill clinched the win.

N.C. A&T struggled to get their momentum going in the afternoon competition against Texas Southern.   Outside hitter Te'Borah Hawkins-Hollingsworth led the team with a .500 hitting percentage as she posted five kills on eight attacks with only one error. Pitt added seven kills.  Meanwhile, Tiger hitter Kali Fluke had 11 kills with no errors and six digs. Her .611 hitting percentage led all attackers.  

The Aggies completed the tournament at 1-3 after losses to Alabama State and Alabama A&M on Friday. Brown was superb over the weekend. She posted 46 kills (2.88 per set) in 16 sets played with a .130 hitting percentage. The versatile Brown also had 10 service aces and 24 digs. Hawkins-Hollingsworth finished the tournament with 19 kills, five attack errors and a .341 hitting percentage. She and Lindor played 16 sets apiece and averaged 0.62 blocks per set.  

The Aggies home opener at Moore Gymnasium is next up on the schedule as N.C. A&T takes on the Elon Phoenix (1-1) on Tuesday, August 30 at 7 p.m.