BLACKSBURG, Va. – North Carolina A&T went 2-0 at the Virginia Tech Hokie Invite on Friday in non-conference volleyball action. Hours after the Aggies defeated Wofford; they came away with a three-set win over George Mason (25-20, 25-21, 25-20) at Cassell Coliseum.
"It was nice to come away with another 3-0 win this evening," said A&T coach Hal Clifton. "Our team did a nice job of being patient. We were able to find our rhythm and execute at the net. It was a great team effort today. Players did what was asked of them, and that made the difference."
N.C. A&T improved to 7-4, while George Mason dropped to 2-8.
Edie Brewer (6-0, GR, setter, West Chester, Ohio) recorded a double-double with a team-best 20 assists and had a match-high 10 kills. She also added seven digs with a .471 hitting percentage. Naiya Sawtelle (6-0, FR, outside hitter, Stuart, Fla.) recorded 10 kills, seven digs, two blocks and a service ace with a .304 hitting percentage.
"Today was just another fun day of volleyball," Brewer said. "We got to go out and compete, and the support we had for each other was lovely.
I'm so proud of the effort we put in today."
The Patriots held a 17-16 lead, but two consecutive kills from Mallory Porcher (6-0, JR, middle blocker, Orlando, Fla.) gave the Aggies an 18-17 lead. After each team scored, the Aggies got a kill from Brewer, a service ace from Nadia Montalban-El Hirichie and a block assist from Brewer and Shaylnn Hall (6-1, SR, MB, Raleigh, N.C.) to take a 22-18 lead. A Hannah Howell (6-0, FR, OH, St. Louis Park, Minn.) and a George Mason attack error gave the Aggies the set.
In the second stanza, the Patriots took another early lead, 5-1, forcing an early Aggie timeout. But the Aggies were eventually able to take their first lead in the set at 16-15.
After a Katie Parmalee kill tied the set at 16 for the Patriots, A&T outscored the Patriots 6-1. The spurt included two kills from Brewer for a 22-17 lead. However, the Patriots did get within 24-21 before a Hall kill gave the Aggies the four-point set win.
The Aggies took an early 10-5 lead in the final frame forcing a George Mason timeout. The Patriots did rally to get within two at 18-16.
George Mason scored the next three points to take a 19-18 lead, but the Aggies responded with a kill apiece from Brewer and Fatimah Shabazz (6-0, R-SR, right side, Cincinnati, Ohio) and benefited from two George Mason attack errors to take a 22-19 lead.
After Mason scored again, the Aggies scored two more points to earn match and set point, but the last point wasn't statistically recorded.
Hall added a match-high four blocks, including two solo blocks. Shabazz had eight kills, and Porcher added four kills and four blocks, including one solo block, with a .444 hitting percentage.
Olyvia Kennedy led George Mason with nine kills. Erin Derick finished with 23 assists, and Ewelina Gacek had eight digs.
