Box Score vs. Air Force
Box Score vs. Gardner-Webb
BOILING SPRINGS, September 8, 2007 – It finally happened. No, not a win, but something that might push the North Carolina A&T volleyball team toward its first win of the season. The Aggies lost to Air Force 3-2 (22-30, 30-24, 26-30, 30-25, 15-13), 25). But they won two games in the process, marking the first time this season the Aggies have won a game in a match. The Aggies lost earlier in the day to Gardner-Webb 3-0 (30-21, 14, 21).

Krystal Cooper led the Aggies against Air Force with a season-high 18 kills and a career-high 26 digs. Aundia Gray chipped in with 13 kills and seven blocks, while Avignon Williams contributed with 12 kills and eight blocks.

“By far this was our best performance all season,’’ said N.C. A&T head coach Lyndsay Schmiedel. “We really came close today. I really wanted this for the team and our confidence, but we’re getting better every day.”

For the first time all season, the Aggies held an opponent to under a .200 hitting percentage for the match. Senior Kaycee Anderson had a career-best 20 digs and sophomore Stacey Malone added 18 digs.

The Aggies took a 2-1 lead in the match thanks to a strong finish in the third game. With the score tied at 24, Air Force’s Nichole Stillwell gave the Aggies the lead with an attack error. Two more attack errors by the Falcons put the Aggies up by three. Stillwell would move the Falcons to within two with a kill, but another Falcon attack error put the Aggies ahead 28-25.

Additional Falcon mistakes helped the Aggies close out the game. Jasmine Pettit served the ball into the net and N.C. A&T freshman Amber Inman’s service ace sailed passed Caroline Kurtz for the game winner. The Aggies could not seal the match, however, as the Falcons took a commanding 20-11 lead in the fourth game before closing out the Aggies 30-25.

In the fifth game, Gray tried to deliver the Aggies their first win of the season. The senior out of Liverpool, N.Y., had four kills in the final and deciding game. One of Gray’s four kills in the game helped the Aggies tie it at 12. The Aggies took the lead on a Gray and Williams block assists. But the Falcons ran off three straight points thanks to kills by Stillwell, Michelle Harrington and Caroline Kurtz.

The Aggies fell to 0-10 and return to action 7 p.m., Tuesday at Campbell.