Saint Augustine's University will host Shaw University in a CIAA Southern Division women's volleyball match at Emery Gymnasium in Raleigh, N.C., on Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2015. Admission is free to the match, which begins at 6 p.m.
Records
The Lady Falcons are fifth in the CIAA Southern Division. Their record is 1-3 in the division, 3-4 in the CIAA and 7-8 overall. The Lady Bears are second in the Southern Division. Their record is 3-1 in the division, 4-3 in the CIAA and 10-6 overall.
Season Series
The Lady Falcons are 18-2 against the Lady Bears in their last 20 matches. They are 7-2 against the Lady Bears under Head Coach Nikki Bynum Bumpass, who is in her fifth season at Saint Augustine's University. At home, the Lady Falcons are unbeaten against the Lady Bears in their last eight matches played at Emery Gymnasium.
Last Meeting
The Lady Falcons fell 3-1 to the Lady Bears in the Shaw Tri-Match at Spaulding Gymnasium in Raleigh, N.C., on Sept. 12, 2015. The scores were 18-25, 25-21, 11-25 and 14-25. The defeat snapped a five-match win streak against the Lady Bears. Olivia Porter (Jr./Bakersfield, CA) led the Lady Falcons with 13 kills and Juliseea Thomas (Sr./St. Croix, US Virgin Islands) added 15 assists and eight digs.
Story Line
The Lady Falcons need a win to stay in contention for a CIAA Tournament berth. They are currently fifth in the Southern Division at 1-3, one game behind Livingstone College, which is fourth in the division at 2-2. The top four Southern Division teams at the end of the regular season advance to the CIAA Tournament, which will be held Nov. 20-22 in Fayetteville, N.C.
Previous Match
The Lady Falcons lost to Livingstone in four sets at New Trent Gymnasium in Salisbury, N.C., on Monday, Oct. 12. The scores were 25-17, 23-25, 21-25 and 20-25. Olivia Porter paced the Lady Falcons with 16 kills and 13 digs. Juliseea Thomas added 19 assists and 10 digs while Shakera Hall (Fr./Bridgetown, Barbados) and Zoey Isom (Fr./Phoenix, AZ) added 11 digs and 10 digs, respectively. Both the Lady Falcons and the Lady Blue Bears entered the match tied for fourth place in the division. The Lady Falcons fell to fifth place with the loss.
Porter Among League's Top Hitters
A Preseason All-CIAA pick, Olivia Porter is having a stellar season for the Lady Falcons. She ranks second in total kills (163) and third in kills per set (3.13) in the CIAA.
Isom Leads CIAA In Digs
Freshman Zoey Isom is making an immediate impact on the Lady Falcons squad. She is first in the CIAA in digs (264) and digs per set (5.08).
Lady Falcons Lead CIAA In Team Digs
The Lady Falcons use their quickness and athleticism to their advantage on defense. They lead the CIAA in total digs (807) and rank second in digs per set (15.52).
More CIAA Statistical Rankings
Juliseea Thomas ranks seventh in assists (272) and eighth in assists per set (5.23). Mikayla Pettyjohn (So./Jamestown, NC) is tied for fifth in blocks (35). Olivia Porter is 10th in total digs (143).
About Shaw
The Lady Bears are having one of their best seasons in recent years. They are paced by freshman Kelly Murphy, who ranks first in total kills (217), second in kills per set (3.62) and fourth in hitting percentage (.238). Michelle Olmeda-Gonzalez ranks second in assists per set (8.49) and Tiffany Brooks is fourth in total digs (182). DiShondra Goree is in her second season as head coach.
Next Match
The Lady Falcons will host Johnson C. Smith University in a CIAA Southern Division match at Emery Gymnasium on Monday, Oct. 19. The match begins at 6 p.m.
