Anthony Jeffries

Seniors Dionna Hopkins (Second From Left) and Juliseea Thomas (Third From Right) Pose For Photo With Head Coach Nikki Bynum Bumpass, Teammates and Family

Women's Volleyball 11/10/2015 11:38:00 PM Office of Sports Information

Lady Falcons Down Livingstone 3-2 In Volleyball On Senior Night

Box Score

RALEIGH, N.C. – On a night when seniors Dionna Hopkins (St. Croix, US Virgin Islands) and Juliseea Thomas (St. Croix, US Virgin Islands) were honored, Akera McPhaul (So./Greensboro, NC) and Olivia Porter (Jr./Bakersfield, CA) stepped up in a big way for Saint Augustine's University in a key CIAA volleyball match against Livingstone College.

McPhaul recorded a career-best 16 kills and Porter added 14 kills and 15 digs as the Lady Falcons topped the Lady Blue Bears 3-2 at Emery Gymnasium on Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2015. Brittany Jamison (Fr./Summerville, SC) added nine kills and eight digs for the Lady Falcons, and Thomas finished with 26 assists and 14 digs in her last home match. Zoey Isom (Fr./Phoenix, AZ) amassed 31 digs and Meghan Mahon (Jr./Houston, TX) had 19 assists and 12 digs. Hopkins was among the team's block leaders with one solo block and one block assist in addition to four kills in her final home match.

"The Lady Falcons really fought hard to pull out this victory tonight!," Head Coach Nikki Bynum Bumpass said. "I'm so proud of these ladies for presenting our seniors with this win."

The victory moved the Lady Falcons (12-12 overall, 8-7 CIAA) into a fourth-place tie with the Lady Blue Bears (9-14 overall, 4-11 CIAA) in the division. Both teams are 3-6, but the Lady Falcons can clinch a CIAA Tournament berth with a victory over Shaw University at Spaulding Gymnasium on Friday, Nov. 13, beginning at 7 p.m. The top four Southern Division teams at the end of the regular season will advance to the conference tournament, which will be held Nov. 20-22 in Fayetteville, N.C.

Both the Lady Falcons and Lady Blue Bears can end up tied for fourth, but the Lady Falcons would qualify for the tournament by virtue of a better conference mark. They split the two-match regular-season series.

The only way the Lady Falcons would miss the tournament is if they lost to Shaw, and the Lady Blue Bears defeated Southern Division leader Winston-Salem State University on Thursday, Nov. 12

The Lady Falcons entered Tuesday's match needing a win to keep their postseason hopes alive. They started the night in fifth place, one game behind the Lady Blue Bears.

Before the Lady Falcons took care of business on the court, they held a ceremony for their two four-year seniors. Both Hopkins and Thomas were recognized for their contributions to the program and received gifts from the team. They also posed for photos with their families, Athletic Director George Williams, Head Coach Bumpass, Assistant Coach Bruce Cozart and teammates. The families of Hopkins and Thomas traveled all the way from their hometown of St. Croix, US Virgin Islands for the presentation and the match.

The Lady Falcons rode the wave of momentum from the ceremony to take the first set. Leading 20-19, the Lady Falcons outscored the visitors 5-2 for a 25-21 win. They nearly pulled out the second set, but the Lady Blue Bears rallied from a 24-22 deficit to pull out a 29-27 victory.

The Lady Falcons scored the first six points in the third set to cruise to a 25-17 win. The Lady Falcons led late in the fourth set, but the Lady Blue Bears scored the final four points for a 26-24 victory to force a decisive fifth match.

The Lady Blue Bears opened an early 5-3 lead in the final set, but the Lady Falcons came roaring back to take a 10-7 lead. They never looked back from that point, winning the fifth set 15-10 to claim the match.

Overall, the Lady Falcons tallied more kills (53-49) which gave them the edge, including a 9-4 advantage in the fifth set. They also totaled seven service aces to five for the Lady Blue Bears in the match.

For the Lady Blue Bears, Lareecia Swiney registered 15 kills, 18 digs and six block assists. Jekisha Rhymes had 13 kills and 10 digs, and Mattisen Williams chipped in 12 kills and five block assists. Stevee Cotton posted 38 assists and 16 digs while Destiny Johnson and Rukiya Garland finished with 12 digs and 11 digs, respectively.

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Players Mentioned

#6 Dionna Hopkins: OH; 5' 8"; Senior

#10 Meghan Mahon: S/DS; 5' 5"; Junior

#5 Akera McPhaul: OH/RS; 5' 9"; Sophomore

#12 Olivia Porter: OH/MB; 5' 7"; Junior

#1 Juliseea Thomas: S/L; 5' 6"; Senior

#2 Zoey Isom: S/L; 5' 7"; Freshman

#13 Brittany Jamison: OH/MB; 5' 11"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#6 Dionna Hopkins
: 5' 8"; Senior
: OH

#10 Meghan Mahon
: 5' 5"; Junior
: S/DS

#5 Akera McPhaul
: 5' 9"; Sophomore
: OH/RS

#12 Olivia Porter
: 5' 7"; Junior
: OH/MB

#1 Juliseea Thomas
: 5' 6"; Senior
: S/L

#2 Zoey Isom
: 5' 7"; Freshman
: S/L

#13 Brittany Jamison
: 5' 11"; Freshman
: OH/MB

Players Mentioned

Players Mentioned

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