Saint Augustine's University visits Shaw University in a CIAA Southern Division women's volleyball match on Friday, Nov. 13, 2015. The match begins at 7 p.m. at Spaulding Gymnasium in Raleigh, N.C.
Records
The Lady Falcons are tied for fourth in the Southern Division. Their record is 3-6 in the division, 8-7 in the CIAA and 12-12 overall. The Lady Bears are second in the Southern Division. Their record is 7-2 in the division, 11-4 in the CIAA and 18-10 overall.
Story Lines
A win over Shaw will qualify the Lady Falcons for the CIAA Volleyball Championships, which will be held Nov. 20-22 in Fayetteville, N.C. The Lady Falcons will also advance if Livingstone College loses to Winston-Salem State University on Thursday, Nov. 12. The Lady Falcons are tied with Livingstone for fourth in the Southern Division, but own a better conference mark. The teams split their season series. The top four teams in the Southern Division will play in the league's postseason tournament. This is the last match of the regular season for the Lady Falcons.
Season Series
The Lady Falcons are 18-3 against the Lady Bears in their last 21 matches. The Lady Bears are 2-0 against the Lady Falcons this season.
Previous Meeting
The Lady Falcons needed only two points to win the match, but the Lady Bears scored seven straight points to steal a 3-2 (23-25, 25-22, 19-25, 26-24, 13-15) CIAA Southern Division win at Emery Gymnasium on Oct. 14. Olivia Porter finished with 17 kills and 20 digs and Brittany Jamison (Fr./Summerville, SC) added 12 kills. Juliseea Thomas totaled 31 assists, 11 digs and three service aces, and Zoey Isom recorded 29 digs. Marley Parker (So./Langley, British Columbia) added 13 digs and Meghan Mahon (Jr./Houston, TX) contributed 12 assists for the Lady Falcons. Akera McPhaul and Mikayla Pettyjohn (So./Jamestown, NC) combined for nine of the Lady Falcons' 13 blocks.
About The Lady Falcons' Head Coach
Nikki Bynum Bumpass is in her fifth season as the Lady Falcons' head volleyball coach. She directed the Lady Falcons to the CIAA title in 2011. Under her guidance, the Lady Falcons have captured four consecutive CIAA team highest grade point average awards in volleyball. Bumpass is also the softball coach for the Lady Falcons, who won the 2015 CIAA crown and reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history.
Last Meeting
Akera McPhaul (So./Greensboro, NC) recorded a career-best 16 kills and Olivia Porter added 14 kills and 15 digs as the Lady Falcons topped the Lady Blue Bears 3-2 (25-21, 27-29, 25-17, 24-26, 15-10) at Emery Gymnasium on Tuesday, Nov. 10. Brittany Jamison (Fr./Summerville, SC) added nine kills and eight digs for the Lady Falcons, and Juliseea Thomas finished with 26 assists and 14 digs in her last home match. Zoey Isom amassed 31 digs and Meghan Mahon (Jr./Houston, TX) had 19 assists and 12 digs. Dionna Hopkins (Sr./St. Croix, US Virgin Islands) 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. Both Thomas and Hopkins were honored before the match on Senior Night.
Porter Among CIAA's Top Hitter
A Preseason All-CIAA pick, Olivia Porter (Jr./Bakersfield, CA) is having a stellar season for the Lady Falcons. She ranks second in total kills (275) and third in kills per set (3.20) in the CIAA.
Isom Leads CIAA In Digs
Freshman Zoey Isom (Phoenix, AZ) is making an immediate impact on the Lady Falcons squad. She is first in the CIAA in digs (441) and digs per set (5.13).
Thomas Among CIAA's Assists Leaders
Juliseea Thomas (Sr./St. Croix, US Virgin Islands) ranks fourth in assists (467) and sixth in assists per set (5.43) in the CIAA.
Lady Falcons Lead CIAA In Team Dig
The Lady Falcons use their quickness and athleticism to their advantage on defense. They rank first in digs (1,369) and second in digs per set (15.92) in the CIAA.
About Shaw
The Lady Bears are led by Kelly Murphy, who leads the CIAA in kills (394) and kills per set (3.79). Michelle Olmeda-Gonzalez leads the CIAA in assists (909) and assist per set (9.18), and Keveesha Wattley ranks third in kills (266) and fifth in kills per set (2.74) in the CIAA. Tiffany Brooks is fourth in the CIAA in digs (342). Dishondra Goree is the head coach of the Lady Bears, who lead the CIAA in kills (1,238), kills per set (11.90), assists (1,126), service aces (241) and service aces per set (2.32).
