BUIES CREEK, NC – The Campbell University Fighting Camels protected their home court over the weekend.
As a result, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University must finish the 2026 volleyball season strong to make its third straight appearance in the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) Volleyball Championship Tournament. Campbell beat the Aggies in four sets (25-19, 25-20, 18-25, 25-22), putting A&T in that position. The Aggies are 9-12 overall and 4-6 in league play. Meanwhile, the Camels got an 11-kill, 17-dig double-double from Ella Duong to reach 10-11 overall and 6-4 in CAA play.
Three Aggies reached double-digit kills, led by junior
Tyne Ross's 14. She also had six digs. A&T's freshman setter, the reigning CAA Rookie of the Week, secured her seventh double-double of the season with 42 assists and 17 digs. Sophomore
Daja Warren finished the match with a career-high 12 kills and two total blocks. Reigning CAA Offensive Player of the Week, junior Agata Zweirzynska added 10 kills and four total blocks.
Sophomore
Zariah Winton got off to a fast start in the first set, recording four kills. Even so, the Camels' 7-3 run helped them establish control. Victoria Tupy's kill helped the Camels secure set point at 24-18 before Ross cut the lead to five with a kill. Campbell's Hailey Heytvelt ended the set, giving the Camels the early advantage. In the second set, a bad set by Hannah Pettie helped the Aggies take a 16-15 lead. Campbell answered with a 6-2 run to take a 21-18 lead. Ross pulled the Aggies within two, 22-20, on a kill before the Camels scored the final three points to win by five and take a 2-0 match lead. The Aggies then hit .355 in the third set to force a fourth. A&T established an early lead at 8-4. Junior
Luca Radnai gave A&T a 15-10 lead on a kill.
Radnai's attack error brought the Camels within three at 21-18, but the Aggies scored the set's final four points on a Campbell service error, a Radnai service ace, and back-to-back kills from Warren. The run cut Campbell's lead to 2-1 in the match. Campbell responded strongly in the fourth set, hitting .349.
After a kill from Zweirzynska cut Campbell's lead to 17-15, the Camels put together a 4-0 spurt to increase their lead to 21-15. The Aggies fought back and kept the match alive, outscoring the Camels 7-3 with kills from Zwierzynska, Warren, and Winton. Ross had two kills during the spurt, cutting Campbell's advantage to 24-22. Emma McCartney ended A&T's hopes with a kill to secure the set and the match.
Senior
Valeria Estrada added 19 digs for the Aggies. Looking ahead, A&T will try to return to its winning ways in a two-match series at home in Moore Gymnasium against the Towson Tigers. The first match is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 29 at 6 p.m. The next day, the two teams will play at Moore at 4 p.m.
"We certainly didn't expect the weekend to go the way it went," said A&T head coach
Hal Clifton. "We were off balance all weekend. Just couldn't find a stretch where we were clicking. We also didn't finish some opportunities that we created. We have to regroup quickly since we play Thursday and Friday, and be ready to defend our home court."
