Lady Panthers Split Day 2 at CIAA Roundup 1
Terica Peay
Winston-Salem, N.C. — The Claflin University volleyball team continued its strong showing at CIAA Roundup 1 on Saturday, earning a four-set victory over Bowie State before dropping its second match of the day to Virginia State.
The Lady Panthers finished Day 2 with a 1-1 record and moved to 9-9 overall and 3-4 in CIAA play.
Claflin 3, Bowie State 1
Claflin opened the day with another strong offensive performance, extending its winning momentum with a 3-1 victory over Bowie State.
The Lady Panthers battled through a competitive opening set before finding their rhythm. After dropping the first set, 21-25, Claflin responded by taking the next three sets and closing out the match with scores of 25-23, 25-15, and 25-19.
Claflin's offense finished the match with 45 kills on 118 attempts while hitting .246 as a team, compared with Bowie State's 42 kills and .137 hitting percentage.
Zaniya Harris led the attack with 13 kills, while
Aryanna Connell and
Monica Burns added 10 kills apiece. Connell also delivered a team-high four service aces, with Burns adding two.
Burns controlled the net with five blocks, while
Nala Calvin recorded four and
Jamila Lewis added three.
Nadia Embry directed the offense with 17 assists, while
Joi Tinsley added 16.
Abigail Watts anchored the defensive effort with 11 digs, followed by Harris with nine and Tinsley with eight.
The victory gave the Lady Panthers another opportunity to build momentum heading into the final match of the day.
Claflin vs. Elizabeth City State
Claflin returned to the court later Saturday looking to close the day with another conference victory but was unable to overcome Elizabeth City State, falling 3-0.
Taylor Miller led Claflin with eight kills, while Burns added five and Harris contributed four. Miller also recorded two blocks, while
Grayson Graham and Harris each added one. Tinsley recorded Claflin's lone service ace.
Embry finished with 10 assists, while Tinsley added nine.
Jadah Rasool led the defensive effort with 10 digs, followed by Tinsley with six and Embry with five.
Despite the setback, Claflin heads into the final day of Roundup 1 with another opportunity to finish the weekend on a strong note.
The Lady Panthers return to action Sunday to close out the roundup with Virginia State at 11 a.m. and Shaw at 3 p.m.
Stay Connected
For complete coverage of Claflin Athletics, follow us on social media at @claflin_athletics (Instagram) or Claflin University-Athletics (Facebook), or visit the official home of the Panthers at www.athletics.claflins.edu.
About Claflin University Athletics
Claflin University is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II institution that sponsors 13 intercollegiate sports. The university's athletic program includes volleyball; women's flag football; men's and women's cross country; men's and women's basketball; softball; men's and women's indoor and outdoor track and field; and baseball. Claflin's teams compete primarily in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA), while the baseball program competes in the Peach Belt Conference.
