TOWSON, Md. – North Carolina A&T went against one of the best mid-major volleyball programs in the country on Friday, with the Towson Tigers getting the best of the Aggies in three sets (25-15, 21, 12) in Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) play at TU Arena.

The Aggies dropped to 8-5 overall and 3-2 in the CAA, as the Tigers held the Aggies to a minus-.011 hitting percentage. Towson improved to 13-2 overall and 4-1 in league play behind a 17-kill, 11-dig double-double from Victoria Barrett.

Towson got off to a good start as the Tigers scored the first four points of the match before an Aggies attack error gave the Towson a 10-5 lead, leading to an A&T timeout. The stop in action helped the Aggies score the next three points, capped off by a solo block from freshman Tyne Ross. But the Tigers regained control of the set by going on a 6-1 run to take a 16-9 lead.

A&T could not get any closer than six from that point. An A&T service error gave the Tigers set point before an Aggies attack error gave Towson a 1-0 lead in the match. A 4-0 run in the second set gave Towson a 12-6 lead, getting to within one on a Maya Johnson kill before an attack error from Towson's Ylenia De Mango tied the match at 15-15.

Sarah Callender gave Towson the lead back with a kill, but Ross tied the match again with a kill. Towson ran off four straight points to retake control of the set. A Victoria Barrett kill gave the Tigers set point at 24-19, but a kill from sophomore Mikala Sampson and a block assist from Ross and Johnson brought the Aggies to within three. But Barrett ended the set on a kill to give the Tigers a 2-0 match lead.

Barrett's seven kills in the third set helped the Tigers close the match. Towson was also helped by a .417 hitting percentage in the third set. Senior Hannah Howell led the Aggies with six kills. Ross, Johnson, and Sampson had five kills apiece. Johnson added three total blocks. The two teams play again on Saturday at noon from TU Arena.