BALTIMORE, Md. – The Hampton University volleyball team swept North Carolina Central 3-0 (25-11, 25-20, 25-12) on Friday in the quarterfinals of the 2014 MEAC Volleyball Championships, held at Coppin State's Physical Education Complex.
 
The Lady Pirates (19-10), the Northern Division's top seed, advanced to Saturday's semifinal, which will be against Coppin State at 12 p.m.
 
Hampton has won 19 matches for the third straight season, matching the program record for most wins in a single season at the Div. I level. With a win on Saturday, the Lady Pirates would record their first 20-win season at the Div. I level.
 
"Today's match was a great start for us in the MEAC Championships," head coach Karen Weatherington said. "We knew NCCU could be dangerous team if we didn't limit to their ability to attack the ball. We have focused our efforts on defending and that translated into the great blocking game."
 
Senior rightside Vendula Strakova (Brno, Czech Republic), the two-time MEAC Player of the Year, led the Lady Pirates with 18 kills and 10 digs for her 18th double-double of the season, on top of six total blocks and a .467 hitting percentage. Junior libero Allysa Medina (Menifee, Calif.) had a team-high 13 digs.
 
Senior setter Kitija Megne (Kuldiga, Latvia) had 19 assists.
 
The Lady Pirates hit .410 (42 kills, eight errors in 83 attacks) for the match, while holding N.C. Central (4-25) to just .034 hitting (24 kills, 21 errors in 89 attacks). Hampton also held a 13.0-2.0 edge in team blocks and a 4-2 advantage in aces.
 
A kill from senior outside hitter Krista Kraskura (Kuldiga, Latvia) gave the lady Pirates a 9-1 lead to open the first set, and an ace from Strakova later in the set put Hampton up 13-3. NCCU cut the lead to 15-5, before Hampton went on a 7-3 run to take a 22-8 lead after a kill from Strakova.
 
NCCU cut the lead to 23-11, but the Lady Pirates scored the last two points – on an Eagles service error and an attack error – to take the first set in dominating fashion.
 
Hampton hit .484 (16 kills, one error in 31 attacks) in the first set.
 
The Eagles led 9-8 early in the second set, before the Lady Pirates answered with a 6-1 run to take a 14-10 lead after Megne and senior middle blocker Marija Kocevska (Skopje, Macedonia) paired up on a block.
 
NCCU cut the lead to 14-12 before Hampton scored five of the next seven points to go up 19-14 on a block from senior outside hitter Sonja Maksimovic (Belgrade, Serbia).
 
A block from Strakova later in the set gave the Lady Pirates a 22-15 lead, before NCCU answered with a 4-1 spurt to cut the lead to 23-19. Hampton scored two of the last three points, though – both on kills from Strakova – to take the set and go up 2-0 in the match.
 
Hampton hit a match-best .636 in the third set, going error-free in 22 attacks. Hampton held a 7-6 lead early in the set before going on an 11-1 run to take an 18-7 lead after Strakova and freshman middle blocker Tatyana Thomas (Suffolk, Va.) paired on a block.
 
NCCU cut the lead to 21-11, but the Lady Pirates closed the set by scoring four of the last five points – taking the set and the match after a kill from Strakova.
 
"We played with great energy and focus," Weatherington said. "That's how we want to start any competition. I'm always so proud of our great team effort and looking forward carrying into a tough match tomorrow."
 
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.