Opponent Websites: UMES | SCSU | East Tennessee State | NCCU

DURHAM, N.C. – The Hampton University volleyball team, fresh off its first win of the season this past Saturday, will compete in the North Carolina Central Tournament on Friday and Saturday at the McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium.

The Lady Pirates will open on Friday against MEAC foe Maryland Eastern Shore at 3 p.m., before taking on South Carolina State at 7 p.m. Saturday will see the Lady Pirates take on East Tennessee State at 11 a.m., before facing off against host NCCU at 3 p.m.

Hampton is 26-20 all-time against UMES, though the Lady Hawks defeated the Lady Pirates 3-0 earlier this season in the Tiny L. Laster Memorial Tournament and have won the last nine matches between the two teams. Hampton last defeated UMES in 2005.

South Carolina State, which defeated Hampton 3-0 this past Friday in the SCSU SpikeFest, is 22-13 all-time against the Lady Pirates. Hampton has never faced East Tennessee State, and NCCU holds a 16-6 advantage in the head-to-head, despite the Lady Pirates' win on Saturday.

The Lady Pirates (1-14) defeated North Carolina Central 3-0 (25-23, 26-24, 26-24) this past Saturday to close out the South Carolina State SpikeFest in Orangeburg, S.C. Freshman Sheileen Pagan (Rio Grande, Puerto Rico) earned All-Tournament Team honors after recording 21 kills and 16 digs in three of the four matches Hampton played.

Senior Aaryn Harrison (Cary, N.C.) leads the team with 113 kills so far this season, averaging 2.51 per set. She also sits fifth in the MEAC in points scored, thanks to 137.5 on the season – an average of 3.06 per set.

Harrison also has a team-high nine service aces so far this season.

Junior Lina Cordoba (Bogota, Columbia) leads the team in hitting percentage at .246, thanks to 47 kills and 19 errors in 114 total attacks on the season.

Junior Lihi Elkayam (Misgav, Israel) leads the Lady Pirates with 249 assists so far this season, averaging 7.11 per set, while junior Juliana Chavez (Bogota, Colombia) is averaging 6.16 assists per set with 117 total on the season.

Despite missing six matches due to injury this season, senior Ivana Suput (Zitiste, Serbia) leads Hampton in digs on defense with 109 on the season – an average of 3.89 per set.

UMES (5-8) has won four of its last five matches, and the Lady Hawks are led by junior Zoe Bowens and freshman Maline Vaitai, who each have 167 kills – an average of 3.09 per set – so far this season. Vaitai also has a team-high 21 service aces, leading five UMES players in double figures in that category.

SCSU (4-11) has won three of its last four matches, and the Lady Bulldogs are led by sophomore Shabree Robinson – who has 110 kills so far this season. Senior Jarne Gleaton is averaging a team-high 2.83 kills per set so far this season, while junior Bria Brimmer has a team-high 15 service aces.

Heading into Wednesday's contest against Tennessee-Chattanooga, East Tennessee State (9-5) has won five of its last six matches. Freshman Megan Devine leads the Bucs with 141 kills so far this season, averaging 2.88 per set. Senior Alysa Long is hitting a team-best .312, and senior Whitney Cogburn, on top of averaging a team-high 9.50 assists per set, leads the team with 15 service aces.

Senior Belinda Behncke-Biney leads NCCU (2-13) with 148 kills (3.02 per set) so far this season, to go along with a team-high 14 service aces. Freshman Jzima-Malaki Kalao leads the team with 333 assists, averaging 6.80 per set so far this season.

After the NCCU Tournament, the Lady Pirates will return to Holland Hall on Wednesday, Sept. 29 for an exhibition match against Elizabeth City State at 6 p.m. For more information on Hampton University volleyball, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.