DURHAM, N.C. (Oct. 16, 2026) — The South Carolina State women's volleyball team displayed determination and defensive intensity Friday evening but fell to North Carolina Central in straight sets (17-25, 15-25, 19-25) in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) action at McDougald-McLendon Arena.
Despite the setback, the Lady Bulldogs showed resilience throughout the contest, highlighted by a strong presence at the net, several individual performances and improved offensive execution in the final set.
South Carolina State (4-18 overall, 0-7 MEAC) finished with 10 team blocks, compared with seven for North Carolina Central, demonstrating its ability to challenge the Eagles' offensive attack.
Carra Pierre-Louis led the Lady Bulldogs offensively with a team-high nine kills, while
Ki'ra Wright anchored the defensive effort with 11 digs.
Jayden Mathis added four digs, and
Macey McCoy contributed nine assists to help direct the SC State offense.
The Lady Bulldogs battled through a challenging opening set, putting together a four-point scoring run to cut an early deficit to 13-9. SC State continued to compete late in the frame, using another four-point stretch to pull within 22-16 before the Eagles secured the 25-17 victory.
In the second set, South Carolina State continued to find opportunities at the net, recording five team blocks. The Lady Bulldogs also mounted a late three-point run to trim North Carolina Central's advantage to 21-14 before falling 25-15.
SC State demonstrated its strongest offensive rhythm in the third set, posting a match-best .107 hitting percentage while collecting eight kills. The Lady Bulldogs continued to battle down the stretch, scoring six of the final 10 points before North Carolina Central closed out the match 25-19.
The Lady Bulldogs' defensive performance remained a bright spot, with several players contributing to the team's 10 blocks and 37 digs.
SC State Match Highlights
- Carra Pierre-Louis: Led the Lady Bulldogs with nine kills and added two digs.
- Ki'ra Wright: Anchored the back row with a team-high 11 digs.
- Jayden Mathis: Contributed four digs and helped support the defensive effort.
- Macey McCoy: Recorded nine assists, five digs and one service ace.
- Arianna James: Added eight assists and three digs.
- Hedia Lewis: Finished with four kills, six digs and five block assists.
- Jade Robinson: Recorded six block assists, contributing to SC State's strong presence at the net.
- Chloe Neal: Registered two service aces, four digs and two assists.
- Team Defense: South Carolina State finished with 10 total team blocks, three service aces and 37 digs.
By the Numbers
| Category |
SC State |
NC Central |
| Kills |
23 |
41 |
| Assists |
22 |
40 |
| Digs |
37 |
50 |
| Team blocks |
10 |
7 |
| Service aces |
3 |
11 |
| Hitting percentage |
.010 |
.258 |
North Carolina Central (5-13 overall, 3-4 MEAC) was led by Aniah Bass with nine kills, while Breylan Fairley recorded 23 assists and four service aces.
