BUIES CREEK, NC – Junior
Tyne Ross tied a season high with 22 kills, but the North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University volleyball team could not overcome an early deficit, losing to the Campbell Fighting Camels in four sets (25-22, 25-15, 23-25, 25-19) Friday night at Gore Arena.
Ross had 22 kills on a .340 hitting percentage at Northeast on Sept. 26. On Friday night, she matched that with a .327 hitting percentage, added seven digs and one total block. Sophomore
Zariah Winton recorded her third career double-double with 12 kills and 11 digs. The two teams are in the middle of the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) standings, with the Camels improving to 9-11 overall and 5-4 in league play, while the Aggies fell to 9-11 overall and 4-5 in the CAA. The loss snapped the Aggies' four-match winning streak.
The Aggies are in seventh place while the Camels are in fifth. The top six teams in the standings, with respect to tiebreakers, qualify for the 2026 CAA Volleyball Championship Tournament at Campbell University's Gore Arena, Nov. 19-21. Campbell gained an edge in the standings over A&T by starting quickly in the first two sets.
Campbell took a 10-3 first-set lead and extended it to 16-7 on a service ace by Hannah Pettie. The Aggies slowly chipped away, getting within four at 19-15 on a kill by reigning CAA Offensive Player of the Week
Agata Zwierzynska. A Winton kill cut the lead to 21-18, and a Campbell attack error brought A&T within two at 23-21 before Marlena Lee gave the Camels set point. Ross kept the Aggies in it with a kill, but Campbell closed out the set on a Victoria Tupy kill. Campbell then took a 13-6 second-set lead and won by 10.
A&T got off to a better start in the third set. A 3-0 run gave the Aggies an 11-8 lead, and senior
Mikala Sampson made it 18-14 on a kill. Campbell responded by outscoring the Aggies 8-2 to take a 22-20 advantage. Sophomore
Daja Warren ended the spurt with a kill, and freshman
Kirsten Kemper and junior
Luca Radnai tied the set 22-22 with a block-assist. After Campbell took the lead on a service error, the Aggies scored the next two points on a Campbell attack error and a block-assist from Ross and Radnai to reach set point at 24-23. Ross cut Campbell's match lead to 2-1 with a kill.
Senior
Valeria Estrada tried to keep A&T's momentum going into the fourth set as her ace cut Campbell's lead to 17-16. Campbell outscored the Aggies 4-1 to take a 21-17 lead, but the Aggies fought back with a Ross kill and a Campbell attack error to cut the deficit to two points. A 4-0 Campbell run ended the match. Campbell and A&T will play the second and final match of their weekend series at Gore Arena at 4 p.m. Saturday.
"Tonight was not the best night for the Aggies volleyball team," said A&T head coach
Hal Clifton. "We just couldn't find a rhythm tonight. Tomorrow is a new day and in this conference, it doesn't matter whether you win or lose on Day 1. You have to be ready to go again. We'll be ready."
