Courtesy of Antoine Lynch & Anthony Jeffrie, Shaw Athletics
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BFSU | 11 | 14 | 22 | (0) |
| SU | 25 | 25 | 25 | (3) |
RALEIGH, NC —The Shaw volleyball team earned a three-set win (25-11, 25-14, 25-22) against the Bluefield State Lady Blues Thursday at home at CC Spaulding.
The non-conference win moved the Bears’ overall record to 21-7 on the season ahead of next week’s CIAA Championship
Noelani Beard finished with 11 kills on the evening to lead the Lady Bears offense while finishing with a hitting percentage of .450. Anna Ney also pitched in with six in the contest. Fellow senior Sierra Spade chipped in eight digs to lead Shaw defensively.
Game Notes
» Senior Anna Ney had a match-high six aces in the win.
» Shaw never trailed on the way to winning the first set 25-11.
» Shaw served up seven aces on the way to a first-set victory.
» Shaw served up eight aces on the way to a second-set victory.
» Noelani Beard had a team-high 11 kills for Shaw.
» Shaw got a team-high eight digs from Sierra Spade.
» Shaw attackers were helped by a match-high 21 assists from Anna Ney.
How It Happened
SET 1 | The Bears took control on the first point and never trailed to secure the first set 25-11. Shaw opened up its biggest lead, 14 points, to close out the set. Shaw also supplemented their offense with seven aces in the opening set.
SET 2 | Shaw won set two 25-14 to promptly take a 2-0 lead. The Lady Bears grabbed control of the set lead early on at 4-3 and held the lead the rest of the way. Shaw opened its biggest lead of the stanza, 11 points, to close out the set. The Shaw offense also got a boost from eight aces in the stanza.
SET 3 | Shaw then finished off the match with a victory in set number three. The Lady Bears survived a ferocious Bluefield State rally in the set, hanging on to win 25-22 after leading by nine points at 20-11 earlier in the stanza.
What They Said
Ilani Myers
Graduate Student
Outside Hitter
About Senior Night:
“My family got to come down and watch me play. My coaches were very supportive and were always there for me, so it was special to have everyone in the same [gym].”
“Senior Night was special and more. It was perfect. My family is my world and volleyball is my second world so combining the two makes it even better.
Her grandmother and brother watched Myers play for the first time in college:
“It was special. I always have to remind my little brother that he gets his skills from somewhere.”
Key to Tonight’s Victory:
“Definitely the emotion. We have lots of seniors. We have lots of freshmen that love their seniors, and we love them the same. Lots of emotion, lots of love all around.”
Mallory Brown
Senior
Outside Hitter
About Senior Night:
“The best part was my parents are here and everyone else’s family was here. It made us feel immediately happy.”
Playing Last Regular Season Home Match:
“It is bittersweet. I will miss it a lot. I am kind of ready to be done with college but I will miss it here.”
How Were You Able To Compete On Such An Emotional Night:
“It’s not any different than playing before a huge crowd or playing in a championship match. I am a very mellow player. I usually don’t let my emotions out too often.”
What Was It Like Walking On The Court With Your Family During Senior Night Ceremony:
“It was so heartwarming. My heart was really racing. I was really happy.”
Jonathan Paulk
Head Coach
About Winning On Senior Night:
“It was so special. These six seniors came to a team that had one player and one coach, like a complete rebuild. They are the basis of us winning two Northern Division championships, making it to the conference finals last year and they are determined to see it all the way through this year, so it meant a lot.”
Thoughts on Winning Senior Night Against A Non-Conference Opponent:
“That was a weight off the shoulders. We didn’t have to worry so much about the “win”. It allowed us to kind of sub our seniors out at the end, get them their big applause, everyone thanking them for all the hard work they put in at Shaw.”
Most Memorable Moment With The Seniors
“I wrote all my seniors a little note, and the things that stood out to me the most are our times and interactions off the court. They have done so much on the court but it is the little things, the little jokes, the little comments on the side that have really stuck [with me].”
Up Next
Shaw begins their postseason on Monday, November 8 as they host the Claflin Panthers. First serve is slated for 6 PM inside C.C. Spaulding Gymnasium.
