EAST GREENSBORO – North Carolina A&T got here into its Colonial Athletic Affiliation (CAA) volleyball match in opposition to The Tribe of William & Mary Saturday afternoon at Moore Gymnasium, winless within the convention however removed from hopeless. 

After taking part in a few of the finest competitors the CAA has to supply and taking part in them nicely, the Aggies lastly broke by means of within the win column due to a dominant fifth set in a 3-2 win (21-25, 28-26, 17-25, 25-17, 15-7) over The Tribe. 

The win marks the Aggies (5-12, 1-6 CAA) first-ever CAA win and snaps A&T’s seven-match dropping streak. Sophomore Naiya Sawtelle (Stuart, Fla.) led the best way with a career-kills 27 kills on 47 complete assaults to submit a formidable .383 hitting proportion. She additionally had 11 digs, six blocks (one solo) and three service aces as she contributed to 33.5 of the Aggies 79 factors. Her six blocks ties her profession excessive.

“I have been labored arduous the final couple of weeks attempting to fine-tune a few issues which have type of been points in video games,” mentioned Sawtelle, who now has compiled 20-plus kills in 5 matches this season. “I used to be attempting to play relaxed, have enjoyable, do my job and encourage others. That is the factor. If all of us do our job, we are going to find yourself profitable.” 

The job definitely bought carried out within the fifth set. Senior Mallory Porcher (Orlando, Fla.) helped the Aggies soar out to a 5-1 lead with two aces. Two terrific block assists adopted as Madison Sanabria and Maya Johnson labored collectively on each rejections to extend A&T’s result in 9-3. What adopted was a lightning bolt kill from Sawtelle that appeared to place The Tribe again on its heels. 

Sawtelle got here by means of with one other kill within the set, and when sophomore Hannah Howell blasted one to the ground, the Aggies had a snug 13-5 benefit. William & Mary scored two straight factors, however back-to-back assault errors gave the Aggies their historic win. 

“We had some good matchups going, and I assumed we have been aggressive from the tip traces in our serving. We bought them out of system fast, which type of made them a bit extra predictable for our protection to transition,” mentioned A&T coach Hal Clifton. “However I believe the joy from our vitality and our bench gamers drove us to a extremely sturdy begin in that fifth set.” 

A&T got here into the weekend having performed two groups in Hofstra and Towson, who’re presently 7-0 in league play. As well as, the Aggies needed to battle with Piedmont rival Elon. They took a set off of every crew throughout the weekend matchups, together with Towson, who had not misplaced a set within the CAA all season earlier than going through A&T. 

On Saturday, The Tribe put collectively a .370 hitting proportion to take the primary set. The Aggies have been on the point of following behind 2-0 till a Sawtelle kill tied the second set at 24. Minutes later, Sawtelle fought off one other William & Mary try and make it 2-0 when she slammed down a kill to tie the match at 25. The Aggies lastly took the set on a Sawtelle kill and ace. 

William & Mary had 5 blocks, and the Aggies had a .079 hitting proportion within the third as The Tribe took a 2-1 lead earlier than the Aggies held The Tribe to a -.032 hitting proportion within the fourth set. Sawtelle added seven kills, 5 blocks and an ace within the set to guide A&T to the fourth-set win, organising the Aggies fifth-set heroics.

“I am happy with how we have competed all season within the CAA,” mentioned Clifton. “We had alternatives at Towson. We had alternatives in opposition to Elon. Hofstra was a little bit of a wrestle, however I simply knew our time would come if the women stayed affected person and saved their confidence degree up, which is the toughest factor to do. However they pulled by means of at present, and I am actually blissful for my younger women.” 

Eleanor Stothoff led Tribe with 16 kills and a .257 hitting proportion. Freshman Chiara Napoli and senior Addy Warfield had 24 and 22 assists, respectively. Defensively, Johnson ended her afternoon with a career-high eight blocks, and Sanabria posted 4 rejections.  

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