GREENSBORO – One of the best Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) teams, the Hofstra Pride, entered Moore Gymnasium Saturday afternoon and found a resilient North Carolina A&T volleyball team. The Aggies took the Pride down to the wire in each set before Hofstra escaped with a four-set win (25-23, 24-26, 25-22, 25-22).
The Aggies dropped to 4-11 overall and 2-5 in the CAA. Hofstra ended its three-match losing streak to improve to 14-4 overall and 4-3 in league play.
"I hate the scoreboard didn't end up in our favor," said A&T head coach Hal Clifton. "Hofstra is a very good team, near the top of the CAA, and we were right there."
Clifton received some solid contributions from his freshmen. Kaili Doctor used 38 swing attempts to record 16 kills and a .237 hitting percentage. Freshman Samaya Wesson received the most significant playing time she has had all season and responded with a season-best four blocks. Yet, the Aggies could not entirely break through on Saturday.
The Aggies trailed 23-17 in the first set before the Aggies rallied with three straight points to cut the Pride's lead to 23-20. Clara Bal gave the Pride set point with a kill. Liselotte Spoormakers kept the Aggies afloat with a kill followed by back-to-back block assists from Maya Johnson and Chiara Napoli, and Naiya Sawtelle and Johnson to get to within one at 24-23. But a ballhandling error on the Aggies gave Hofstra a 1-0 lead in the match.
A&T evened the match by getting Hofstra out of rhythm in the second set. The Aggies took a 17-13 lead, but when Emily Nunes and Beatriz Alvez blocked a Johnson attack attempt and Hannah Howell committed an attack error, the Pride grabbed a 22-20 lead. With the aid of a Hofstra attack error and a Doctor kill, the Aggies tied the set at 23.
But a Morgan Allen service error gave the Pride set point, but Wesson and Doctor came through with kills to give the Aggies the lead, and a Wesson and Napoli block assist gave the Aggies the set.
Doctor played well in the absence of Sawtelle, the conference leader in kills per set. After Sawtelle left the match with an injury, Doctor posted six kills to lead the Aggies.
Wesson continued to play well into the third set as she and Napoli combined for a block assist to cut Hofstra's third-set lead to 24-22. But a Bal kill gave Hofstra a 2-1 match lead. In the fourth set, Doctor gave the Aggies a 21-20 on a kill. It would be the last lead for the Aggies in the match. Sarah Pierre's kill and Izadora Stedile's service ace gave the Pride the lead.
Another Pierre kill extended the lead to two before Sawtelle, back from injury, scored a kill to get the Aggies to within one at 23-22. An A&T attack error gave the Pride set and match point, and Yagmur Cinel led the Pride to the win with a kill.
"Samaya came off the bench and did a nice job at the net," said Clifton. "She had a couple of really good blocks. Maya made a nice adjustment to the right side. She is a physical player that puts up a big block. We played well and will get back after it tomorrow."
A&T and Hofstra will play again on Sunday from Moore Gymnasium at 1 p.m. On Saturday, Johnson had another big day at the net, posting five kills and six blocks. Napoli had another double-double, her sixth of the season, as she finished with 35 assists and 12 digs. Allen posted a match-high 14 digs, and Sawtelle finished with 12 kills.
Cinel led the Pride with 19 kills and a .457 hitting percentage.
