PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – The 2016 Hampton University volleyball season started on Saturday with a pair of matches at the Temple Invitational as the Lady Pirates dropped a pair of 3-0 decisions to Northern Arizona University and the host Temple Owls.

Earning All-Tournament honors for Hampton was Lena Washington who had 13 kills, 15 digs and one ace in the two games for the Lady Pirates.

Hampton will next see action on Friday at 4:30 pm in the opening game of the Liberty Invitational when they face East Tennessee State University in Lynchburg.

Northern Arizona def. Hampton 25-8, 25-12, 25-16
In the Saturday morning opener, the Lady Pirates met up with a 2015 NCAA Tournament participant in Northern Arizona and fell in three sets.
Reeana Richardson had seven kills and five digs for Hampton, while Washington added six kills and nine digs.   Brianna Lilly nearly had a double-double with 15 assists and eight digs.

Northern Arizona, preseason picked to win the Big West Conference, used a spurt in each game to take the 3-0 victory.  In the opening set, Northern Arizona jumped out to a 10-3 advantage to start.  Set two saw Hampton take an early 5-4 lead on a Washington kill, but the Lumberjacks reeled off 13 of the next 15 points to lead 17-7 on a Lauren Jacobsen kill. 

Hampton fell behind 7-1 early in the third, but used a 7-2 run of its own capped by a Richardson kill to get to 9-8.  Northern Arizona slowly worked the margin back and took the final game 25-16.

Temple def. Hampton 25-23, 25-15, 25-20
The nightcap saw the Lady Pirates drop a pair of tightly-contested games to the host Owls.  Reeana Richardson had 11 kills and four digs, while Washington added seven kills and six digs.  Reeana's sister Ravyn Richardson chipped in with six digs and Lilly added 22 assists.

In set one, Temple raced out to a 13-4 lead but Hampton worked its way back into the match tying it at 23-all after Ravyn Richardson and Kyndall Nicholas combined for a block on an attack by Janine Simons.  The Owls scored the last two points to take the opening set.

Hampton trailed 10-9 in the midpoint of the second set, but the Owls got the advantage back and took the second set 25-15.   The final set saw Hampton hold a 7-5 lead before the Owls struck for eight of the next ten points to lead 13-9 after a Tyler Davis kill.   Hampton got back within a point after a Ravyn Richardson kill to make it 17-16 but that was as close as it got.

For more information on Hampton University volleyball contact the Office of Sports Information at 757-727-5906 or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.