- Friday marked the first time in program history that the Aggies volleyball team defeated Appalachian State, ending a 0-10 record against the Mountaineers.
- Tyne Ross's 21 kills helped her exceed 900 for her career, and she is on pace to reach 1,000 faster than any other player in program history.
- The win gives Hal Clifton his 159th at North Carolina A&T, leaving him four shy of becoming the program's all-time winningest coach.
- The Aggies play their second match of the Charlotte Invitational on Saturday against the Bryant Bulldogs, in the first meeting between the two teams.
CHARLOTTE, NC – North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University volleyball opened Friday against Appalachian State, entering the match 0-for-10 all-time against the Mountaineers. The Aggies erased that mark by rallying to defeat the Mountaineers in five sets (14-25, 20-25, 27-25, 27-25, 15-10) at the Charlotte Invitational, hosted by Charlotte at Halton Arena.
Junior
Tyne Ross led the way with 21 kills, eight digs, four total blocks, and a .269 hitting percentage. Sophomore
Zariah Winton added 13 kills and seven digs, while junior
Luca Radnai led the Aggies at the net with six kills and four total blocks. Both A&T setters recorded their first respective double-doubles, with freshman Kirsten recording 32 assists and 11 digs and junior
Charlie Meadoweal posting 16 assists and 11 digs.
"Today was a big day for us," said A&T head coach Hal Clifton. "We really have to give the players credit for their resilience after dropping the first two sets."
Clifton said his team stayed on a steady climb through the match. The first set saw the Aggies hit .028 and lose by double figures. They gained momentum in the second, hitting .344 before losing by five. A&T carried that accuracy into the third set and led 21-16 on a Ross kill before App State tied it at 23-23 on a Delanie Grevengoed kill.
The Aggies then grabbed set point with an
Agata Zwierzynska kill. A service error kept the Mountaineers in the set before Zwierzynska grabbed set point again with another kill. After Brooke Doherty tied the match again, the Aggies cut App State's match lead to 2-1 when Ross and Winton went back-to-back on kills.
A&T also had to score more than 25 points to win the fourth set. Again, the Aggies established set point at 24-23 after a Doherty attack error. App State rallied with a kill from Grevengoed before sophomore
Daja Warren gave the Aggies set point again on a kill. Doherty tied the match with a kill, but Ross answered with another clutch kill, and Doherty followed with an attack error to send the match into the fifth set.
The Aggies took control of the fifth set early and never relinquished it. A Lou Johnson attack error gave the Aggies a 7-3 advantage. Later in the set, a Winton service ace gave the Aggies a 10-6 lead before senior Makala Sampson clinched victory No. 1 for the Aggies with a kill. Zwierzynska aided the Aggies with six kills, not making an attack error on 12 attempts (.500). Freshman
Madison Mullins had 11 digs.
"Lots of good efforts across the board, but the numbers that Tyne, Agata, Luca, and Madi Mullins put up were solid," said Clifton. "But again, great team effort in securing the victory."
