Box Scores: Elon | Winthrop

DURHAM, N.C. – The Hampton University volleyball team split its first two matches of the season on Friday on the first day of the North Carolina Central Invitational at McDougald-MClendon Gymnasium, both in five sets.

The Lady Pirates (1-1) opened play with a 3-2 (25-16, 23-25, 23-25, 26-24, 15-9) win over Elon, before Winthrop beat Hampton in the nightcap 3-2 (25-20, 19-25, 12-25, 25-21, 15-11).

Hampton is now 18-12 in five-set matches under head coach Pedro Gonzalez.

The Lady Pirates jumped out to a 9-4 lead in the first set against Elon, thanks to a service ace from junior Ioana Kalfinova (Sofia, Bulgaria), and sophomore Krista Kraskura (Kuldiga, Latvia) later ballooned that lead to 15-9 with one of her many kills on the afternoon.

Hampton hit .464 in the first set, recording 15 kills and just two errors in 28 attempts.

Sophomore Sonja Maksimovic (Belgrade, Serbia) notched a kill to put Hampton up 6-1 in the second set, but Elon rebounded to take an 11-10 lead. Hampton then went on a 7-3 run to take a 17-14 lead after a Kraskura ace, and a Kraskura kill later in the set put Hampton up 23-22, before Elon scored the last three points to take the set.

Hampton again jumped out to a 6-1 lead in the third set, thanks to another Kraskura kill, and the lead grew to 8-2 after Maksimovic and junior Petra Parros (Bloomfield, N.J.) teamed on a block at the net. Elon went on a 10-2 run to take a 12-11 lead, before the teams battled to within one point of each other for several rallies.

Elon took the third set, 25-23, and a 2-1 lead.

Elon led the fourth set early, 5-3, before the Lady Pirates scored six unanswered points to take a 9-5 lead after Kraskura and Parros combined on a block. The Phoenix battled back to take an 18-17 lead, but the Lady Pirates regained control, taking a 25-24 lead on a Parros kill before Parros and junior Bibiany Fonseca (Uberlandia, Brazil) blocked Elon to clinch the set.

Maksimovic gave Hampton a 6-4 lead in the fifth set, a lead the Lady Pirates would not relinquish. Elon closed to within 11-8, but Hampton closed the match with a 4-1 run, clinching the win on a kill from senior Mariah Baylor (Minneapolis, Minn.).

The Lady Pirates hit a match-best .550 (11 kills, no errors in 20 attacks) in the fifth set.

For the match, Hampton hit .312 as a team (64 kills, 16 errors in 154) – marking the first time the Lady Pirates have hit over .300 in a match since Nov. 11 of last season, when Hampton hit .386 at Delaware State.

The Lady Pirates held an 11-9 edge in service aces, while Elon committed 13 service errors.

Three Lady Pirates recorded double-doubles, led Kraskura's career-high 30 kills and 17 digs on defense – to go along with a match- and career-high six service aces. She hit .431 for the match, only registering five errors in 58 attacks.

Fonseca had 53 of Hampton's 56 assists, while also adding 15 digs. Maksimovic had 13 kills and 10 digs.

Kalfinova added 11 digs, while freshman Allysa Medina (Menifee, Calif.) added 12 digs in her collegiate debut. Parros hit a team-best .462 with eight kills and just two errors in 13 attacks.

Winthrop took control early in the first set of Hampton's nightcap, winning 25-20. The Lady Pirates rebounded in the second set, battling back-and-forth with the Eagles early before taking a 13-12 lead on a Maksimovic kill.

Hampton did not relinquish that lead, pulling away late and clinching the set on another Maksimovic kill.

Kraskura gave Hampton a 7-5 lead in the third set with a kill, and the Lady Pirates went on a 7-3 run to grow that lead to 14-8 on a Baylor kill. After Winthrop scored to break the run, Hampton scored six straight points to take a 20-9 lead.

The Lady Pirates hit a match-best .423 in the third set, with 11 kills and no errors in 26 attacks.

Hampton and Winthrop went back-and-forth early in the fourth set, and the Lady Pirates led 9-8 after a Kalfinova kill. Winthrop took a 13-12 lead and never relinquished it en route to a 25-21 set win to force the fifth set.

Hampton opened the final set on a 5-2 run, culminating with a Kraskura kill. The Lady Pirates led 8-6 at the switch, then went up 9-6 on a kill from Kalfinova. The Eagles answered with four straight points to take a 10-9 lead, before Maksimovic tied the set at 10-10 with a kill.

Winthrop closed the set 5-1 to take the match.

The Lady Pirates hit .270 (59 kills, 19 errors in 148 attacks) on the night, recording seven service aces. Winthrop hit .262 (55 kills, 18 errors in 141 attacks) and had 12 service aces – but also 14 service errors.

Kraskura recorded 20 kills to go along with a team-high 16 digs for her second double-double of the day. She also hit a team-best .400, only committing two errors in 45 attacks. Maksimovic added 16 kills and 13 digs, while Kalfinova had 10 kills.

Medina added 13 digs on defense, while Fonseca had 42 of Hampton's 51 assists.

The Lady Pirates will return to action on Saturday, when they take on North Carolina Greensboro at 11 a.m. on the last day of the NCCU Invitational. 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.