CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The action is underway in 2023-24 for North Carolina A&T Athletics after the volleyball team debuted Friday evening at the University of Virginia in the Cavalier Classic against Rutgers.
The Scarlet Knights had a good showing in serve receive and as a result, had an impressive side out percentages in the first two sets as they came away with a three-set win (25-16, 25-16, 26-24) at Memorial Gym in both teams' season opener.
A&T will close out the Cavalier Classic against Rider on Saturday at noon from Memorial Gymnasium.
Rutgers took the first set with a strong 62 percent side out percentage before really staying on the offensive attack with an impressive 82 percent side out percentage to win the second. The Scarlet Knights' strong serve receive game resulted in a .462 hitting percentage over the first two sets.
But the Aggies came back strong against the Scarlet Knights in the third. Outside hitters Hannah Howell, Naiya Sawtelle and freshman Kaili Doctor combined to record 13 of the Aggies 14 kills in the set. Howell and Doctor combined for 10 kills and a .563 hitting percentage.
"This was a really tough opener," said A&T head coach Hal Clifton. "We played well in spurts. It was good to see some of the things we have been working on in practice applied in the match. Our pins did a nice job attacking."
After getting out to fast starts in the first two sets, Rutgers did the same in the third. The Scarlet Knights took an 8-5 lead, forcing an A&T timeout. The break in the action helped as a Hannah Howell kill coming out of the timeout sparked a 7-3 outburst, giving the Aggies a 12-11 and forcing a Rutgers timeout. Howell had three kills during the run.
Rutgers' timeout did not aid the Scarlet Knights as much as Doctor and sophomore Chiara Napoli earned kills after the timeout to extend A&T's lead to 14-11. The Knights scored the next three points to tie the set at 14. It would be one of 13 ties in the second set, including a 23-23 tie after Doctor and Sawtelle earned back-to-back kills.
Alissa Kinkela helped Rutgers reclaim the lead on a kill before Sawtelle took a pass from Napoli and put down another kill to tie the set at 24. Anna Hartman ended the match with two consecutive kills to give Rutgers the win.
Sawtelle finished the night with 13 kills and seven digs. Howell put together a nine-kill evening with a .308 hitting percentage. Doctor posted seven kills with a .312 hitting percentage in her collegiate debut. It was a 23-assist, 9-dig performance for Napoli, and senior Morgan Allen posted five assists and a team-high 13 digs.
Kinkela led the Scarlet Knights with 12 kills and seven digs.
"We didn't side out well enough," said Clifton. "They kept us out of system, and we have to get better in that department. We can't let teams go on service runs."
