NORFOLK, Va. – Well-rested after a week off from competition, the Norfolk State volleyball team heads to North Carolina Central Sunday to exact some revenge for an earlier season loss.
The Spartans and Eagles will face-off at 3 p.m. as NSU looks to even the score after the Eagles rallied from a 2-0 deficit to defeat the Spartans, 3-2, on Oct. 24 at Joseph Echols Hall.
Holding an 11-17 overall record, including 4-2 in the MEAC Southern Division, NSU begins a stretch of four matches in eight days to close out the regular season. The Spartans are currently tied with South Carolina State for second place in the MEAC South behind leader Florida A&M (5-1).
About NSU
The Spartans last played on Oct. 28, a 3-0 win against Savannah State. That win, their 11th on the season, tied for the second-most victories in a season since moving to Division I in 1997 behind the 19 wins in 1998.
Sophomore Charlotte Armstead has exploded offensively lately and leads the team with 2.50 kills per set. She is joined by freshman Arielle Knafel (2.25 kills) and sophomore Ellica Morris (2.13), while junior Nicole Kessner is the leader on the court with 7.75 assists.
The defense is led by freshman Noelle Eagles, who totals 3.81 digs per set, with Knafel (2.76 digs) and redshirt freshman Paige Gary-Canty (2.22 digs) also chipping in. Junior Jasmine Frazier anchors the upfront defense with 0.68 blocks, while Armstead ranks second with 0.58.
NSU outpaces the opposition in kills (10.9-9.7) and digs (13.3-11.6), and trails slightly in service aces (1.6-1.5) and attack percentage (.155-.110), although other teams do hold a bigger advantage in blocks (2.1-1.3). NSU leads the league in opponent hitting percentage at .155 and fewest kills by the opposition (9.67).
About NCCU
Heading into a Friday night showdown with rival North Carolina A&T, the Eagles sport a 7-23 overall record in their last season before joining the MEAC in 2011. NCCU has three wins over teams NSU lost to, while NSU has five wins over teams NCCU lost to. Both squads have gone 1-1 against South Carolina State this year.
Belinda Behncke-Biney is the big swinger up front, leading the team with 3.49 kills per set. Jzima-Malaki Kalao sets her up with 7.69 assists, while Behncke-Biney also provides scoring off the serve with 0.41 aces. The opposition must watch out for Raven King, who totals 2.80 digs, and Sashalee Wallen, who sits at 1.01 blocks.
The Eagles are outpaced in kills per set (11.5-9.5) and attack percentage (.211-.098). Opponents also have the edge in service aces (1.7-1.3) and digs (12.0-10.6), and just barely outblock the Eagles, 1.91-1.88.
Record Watch
With the season winding down, the NSU record book could see major changes after the year is out.
Team Season Records:
Kills (1,314 – 1993; 1,142 – 2010)
Assists (1,084 – 1993; 1,039 – 2010)
Block Assists (234 – 2006; 209 – 2010)
Individual Season Records:
Kills (307, April Johnson, 1996; 260, Charlotte Armstead, 2010)
Assists (818, Solange Honore, 2008; 705, Nicole Kessner, 2010)
Block Assists (69, Karina Moore, 2005; 57, Jasmine Frazier, 2010)
Digs (449, April Johnson, 1996; 396, Noelle Eagles, 2010)
Up Next
NSU hosts big rival Hampton Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Echols Hall in the last home match of the season.
