WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. –  The North Carolina A&T Aggies continue to challenge themselves ahead of their first season playing volleyball in the Big South Conference. Their latest test came at Reynolds Gymnasium as the Aggies lost to ACC opponent Wake Forest in three sets, 25-19, 25-23, 25-14, Tuesday night. 

The Aggies dropped to 5-4 on the season. The Demon Deacons improved to 8-2. Tuesday marked the third time since the start of August; the Aggies have faced an ACC opponent, including an exhibition match at Duke. A&T will face Virginia Tech this weekend in Blacksburg, Va. 

"We weren't able to get our middles involved as much, which put a lot of pressure on our pins. Wake is big at the net, but Hannah (Howell) and Naiya (Sawtelle) made some really good swings. I thought the team represented A&T really well in another Power Five matchup."

The two freshmen outside hitters combined for 21 of A&T's 30 kills. Howell (6-foot, FR, outside hitter, St. Louis Park, Minn.) led the team with a match-high 12 kills, adding two digs and a service ace.

 "When I'm in the front row, I like to make sure that I know where I'm going to put the ball, and I can use all of my shots, all of my angles," Howell said. "When I'm in the back row, it's my turn to dig. I've got to get the ball up."

Sawtelle (6-0, FR, outside hitter, Stuart, Fla.) added nine kills, with a .300 hitting percentage.

The Demon Deacons looked poised to cruise to a first set win as they recorded set point on a Howell attack error. 

With the Aggies facing set point, A&T scored the next four points, including a Macenzie Richards (6-0, SR, right side, Pickerington, Ohio) kill, an ace by Howell and a block by Richards and Hall to cut the lead to 24-19. 

But a Kamryn Malloy kill gave Wake the six-point set win and to take a 1-0 match lead.

A&T had its chances to tie the match. Howell tied the set at 22 with back-to-back kills, but back-to-back kills from Wake gave the Demon Deacons a 24-22 lead. 

  Malloy's attack error moved the Aggies to within one before a kill from Ashley Slater gave Wake the set and the 2-0 match lead.          

"Definitely saw some really good things tonight," said Clifton. "We had some chances to close out the second set but came up short. Wake has a lot of weapons, and we struggled to slow down their hitters. As a result, we didn't capitalize when we needed to."

Wake took control of the third set with a 4-0 run to take a 13-7 lead. Edie Brewer (6-0, GR, setter, West Chester, Ohio) did get the Aggies to within five at 17-12, but the Demon Deacons closed the set and the match on an 8-2 spurt. 

Brewer added to the Aggies totals with 13 assists, six digs, three kills and a block. Addy Warfield (5-9, JR, setter, Winter Springs, Fla.) had nine assists, seven digs and a kill. 

Shaylynn Hall (6-1, SR, middle blocker, Raleigh, N.C.) recorded a match-high five blocks, and Richards had four blocks, three kills and two assists.

Olivia Franke, Slater and Malloy led the Demon Deacons with 11 kills each. Andrea Fuentes finished with 40 assists.