EAST GREENSBORO – North Carolina A&T lost in three straight close sets to Florida A&M (25-23, 18, 23) Saturday afternoon at Moore Gymnasium during the final of the Aggie-Phoenix Volley for Unity tournament co-hosted by A&T and Elon University.
Sophomores Hannah Howell (St. Louis Park, Minn.) and Naiya Sawtelle (Stuart, Fla.) led the Aggies with 11 kills each. Howell and sophomore Morgan Allen (Charlotte, N.C.) finished with eight digs apiece, and Mallory Porcher (Orlando, Fla.) ended the afternoon with four blocks, including two solo blocks.
Florida A&M began the match with a 15-8 lead, but the Aggies battled back. With the Rattlers leading 18-13, the Aggies scored three straight as kills by Liselott Spoormakers and Howell were complemented by a FAMU attack error to make an 18-16 set. FAMU responded by scoring two straight before the Aggies exploded with a 6-1 spurt to take a 23-22 as Porcher had two solo blocks and Howell had two kills during the run. But the Rattlers scored on a kill and block assist and benefited from an Aggies attack error to win the first set.
In the second set, FAMU again took an early lead, taking an 8-4 lead. However, they also ended the set strong again, scoring the final three points.
As the Aggies looked to extend the match beyond the third set, Sawtelle tied set No. 3 at 13 with a kill. But the Rattlers outscored A&T 5-1 after the Sawtelle kill to take an 18-14 advantage. The Rattler lead grew to 22-17 thanks to block assists from Isis Williams and Dominique Washington. However, A&T went on a 5-1 run behind two Sawtelle kills two FAMU attack errors and an ace from Howell to get to within one at 23-22.
A Morgan Allen service error gave FAMU set and match point before Sawtelle kept A&T going with a kill. But an attack error ended the match as FAMU snapped a three-match losing streak to the Aggies and improved to 1-7 on the season. Washington led the Rattlers with 12 kills.
"It was a very good match today," said A&T coach Hal Clifton. "Played well by both sides. I think it could have gone either way. They played a little cleaner in a couple of spots that really made the tide change just enough. But, as young as we are, we competed very well."
Howell and Sawtelle earned all-tournament team honors as Howell finished the tournament averaging 3.33 kills, 2.0 digs, 0.50 blocks, 0.17 service aces and she posted a .333 hitting percentage in two matches played. Over the same span, Sawtelle averaged 4.0 kills, 2.8 digs, 0.83 blocks, and 0.17 service aces.
Senior Addy Warfield (Winter Springs, Fla.) finished with 13 assists and six digs.
