GREENSBORO — North Carolina A&T volleyball kept the joy from earning its first conference win on Friday and carried it into Saturday afternoon, sweeping the weekend series from HBCU and Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) rival Hampton 3-0 (25-20, 20, 19) at Moore Gymnasium.
The Aggies played efficient offense throughout the weekend, posting a combined .304 hitting percentage, including a .297 hitting percentage on Saturday to even their CAA record at 2-2 while improving to 6-7 overall.
Sophomore Tyne Ross powered the A&T offense with a match-high 16 kills and a .353 hitting percentage, her second-most efficient night of the season. Jaya Rimm joined Katerina Pappa to lead the Pirates with seven kills as Hampton dropped to 1-15 overall and 0-6 in the conference.
"I thought we played steady today," said A&T head coach Hal Clifton. "We had to make a couple of lineup changes, but players stepped in and competed. It was good to see that we could manage in tight situations."
Saturday's match proved a little more competitive than Friday's when the Aggies made quick work of the Pirates in the first set, 25-9. However, on Saturday, when the Pirates reached nine points in the first, they held a 9-5 lead. The Aggies climbed back after two consecutive Ross kills, and another from junior Valeria Estrada brought A&T to within one at 10-9.
The Pirates scored the next two points to go ahead by three, but a 7-1 A&T spurt powered by two Mikala Sampson kills and two points from Ross on a kill and a service ace gave the Aggies a 16-13 lead. The Aggies stayed ahead for the rest of the set, gaining set point from a Ross kill and the win from a Dila Derendeli service error.
Hampton was the first on the scoreboard again in the second, opening with a 3-1 lead. Again, the Pirates maintained the lead halfway through the set before the Aggies went on an 8-2 run, with Sampson posting the final two points of the run with a solo block and a kill, giving the Aggies a 17-13 advantage.
Hampton did get within two at 18-16, but the Aggies built their lead back to four, 22-18, following a Ross kill. Ross gave the Aggies set point at 24-20 on a kill and the Aggies finished the Pirates off with a Sampson kill. The Pirates had a 1-0 lead in the third set, but an attack error and service error gave A&T a 2-1 lead.
A Ross kill and an ace from sophomore Anahi Alvarado completed the 4-0 spurt to open the set. The Pirates never saw the lead again. A Ross kill grew A&T's lead to five at 17-12. The Pirates cut A&T's lead to three on a Kylah McNeal kill. However, a kill and an ace from freshman Zariah Winton pushed A&T's lead back to five at 21-16. The lead was still five after a Hampton attack error gave the Aggies set and match point at 24-19.
Freshman Daja Warren clinched the win with a kill. Sampson finished her afternoon with 11 kills and a solo block. Junior Leonor Polezzi added 38 assists and three aces. Senior Jada Hampton contributed with six kills and a solo block.
"Solid win. Still some things to build on going into this coming weekend," said Clifton.
A&T will travel to the College of Charleston on Friday, October 10, to start a weekend CAA series with the Cougars at TD Arena.
