CLEMSON, SC – A day after playing three close sets with the Clemson Tigers, the North Carolina A&T volleyball team took a set off the Power Four ACC team.
The Tigers beat the Aggies in four sets (25-16, 25-13, 24-26, 25-18) Friday night at Jervey Gymnasium, marking their second win over A&T in as many nights. Sophomore Tyne Ross led the Aggies with 19 kills, committing only four attack errors on 45 attempts for a .333 hitting percentage.
However, if the matchups against Clemson are indeed tune-ups for the upcoming rigorous Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) schedule, the Aggies' non-conference prep is going well.
"I thought we put together an excellent third set and even a good fourth," said A&T head coach Hal Clifton. "Just didn't side out fast enough. We can't let servers have three and four serves. But for us to only hit .096 and still feel like we were in the match is promising."
After winning the first two sets, the Tigers took a 10-6 lead on a McKenna Gildon service ace. However, leading up to the third set media timeout, the Aggies outscored the Tigers 8-5 to get to within one at 15-14. A Clemson service error and a block assist from freshman Daja Warren and junior Mikala Sampson following the timeout gave the Aggies a 16-15 lead.
A&T extended its lead to 20-17 on a Tyne Ross kill. The Tigers scored the next two points before another Ross kill brought the Aggies back to a two-point advantage. Clemson rallied to claim set and match point at 24-23, with a Mia McGarth kill. But the Tigers gave the Aggies a couple of gifts with a service error and an attack error, giving the Aggies set point at 25-24.
A Valeria Estrada ace put the Tigers away, forcing a fourth set. Ross posted seven kills in the set without an attack error on 14 attempts. Freshman Nicole Ellis and Sampson had two blocks apiece in the set.
The Aggies trailed 11-7 to open the fourth set, leading to an A&T timeout before finding themselves down 19-13, leading to their second timeout of the set. A&T got to within five on a Warren kill, but a kill from Clemson's Kate Hansen and an ace from Hansen gave the Tigers set and match point.
Ross kept the Aggies going with a kill, but an Aggies service error clinched Clemson's 3-1 win. The Tigers improved to 5-0 on the season while the Aggies dropped to 2-2. Ellis contributed to A&T's cause with eight kills and two total blocks. Estrada led the Aggies in digs with 13, and junior Leonor Polezzi finished with 33 assists. Clemson's Kennedy Wagner led all players with 20 kills.
"We saw a lot of positive things and have identified some things we need to fix," said Clifton. "Back in the gym on Monday and back to work."
The Aggies will get a week to work and retool in their gym. They do not play again until they travel to Washington, D.C., to face the Howard Bison on Friday, September 12, at 6 p.m. from Burr Gymnasium.
