RALEIGH, N.C. – Stephony Newkirk (Jr./Greenville, N.C.) recorded Saint Augustine's College's last five kills to give the Lady Falcons a thrilling five-set victory over archrival Shaw University on Thursday (Oct. 27) at Spaulding Gymnasium. The final score was 17-25, 25-14, 25-19, 23-25, 15-11.
Newkirk's heroics allowed the Lady Falcons to pull away from an 8-8 tie in the fifth set. She finished with a match-high 16 kills for the Lady Falcons, who improved to 17-13 overall, 10-4 in the CIAA and 6-3 in the Western Division.
Keisha Parris (So./St. Catherine, Jamaica) and Brittany Hicks (Fr./Louisburg, N.C.) both added nine kills, and Shakira Carter (Jr./St. Michael, Barbados) had eight kills for the Lady Falcons. Parris and Nicolette Campbell (So./Nassau, Bahamas) tied with a match-high 11 digs, and Wandalee Harris (Sr./Nassau, Bahamas) and Roxanne Smith (So./St. Catherine, Jamaica) each had 10 digs.
Smith also led the Lady Falcons with 39 assists, and Courtney Mosley (Jr./Decatur, Ga.) added two solo blocks and three block assists.
Sharetta Riggin and Monica Grimmage both had 13 kills for the upset-minded Lady Bears, who dropped to 11-9, 7-8 CIAA and 3-7 in the Western Division. Nikita Grant paced the Lady Bears with 10 digs, and Nia Bailey handed out 26 assists.
The Lady Bears won the first set to the delight of the partisan home fans in the packed gymnasium which included the Shaw pep band and cheerleaders. The Lady Falcons regrouped to take the second and third sets, but the Lady Bears bounced back to win the fourth set which set the stage for an exciting fifth set.
Newkirk stepped up in the late stages to spark the Lady Falcons, who played their fifth match in nine days.
The Lady Falcons are in third place and the Lady Bears are in fourth place in the CIAA's Western Division.
The Lady Falcons host Saint Paul's College on Senior Day which is Thursday (Oct. 29) at Emery Gymnasium starting at 6 p.m. Harris, a senior defensive specialist, will be honored on the Lady Falcons' last home match of the season.
