RALEIGH, N.C. – Olivia Porter (Jr./Bakersfield, CA) led Saint Augustine’s University with 16 kills in a 3-0 (25-18, 25-19, 25-17) volleyball victory over Johnson C. Smith University at Emery Gymnasium on Monday, Oct. 19, 2015. The CIAA match was designated as Purple Match of Honor Night to promote non-violence.
Before the match, the Lady Falcons held a presentation for Golden Bulls’ student-athlete Gracyn Doctor, who lost her mother, Rev. DePayne Middleton-Doctor, in the Charleston church shooting this summer. Doctor, whose name was called last during the starting lineups, received a gift bag from Porter in a show of support from the Lady Falcons. The presentation concluded with a prayer from Pastor Devonte Allen, a Saint Augustine’s University student.
“Tonight was about celebrating one of the CIAA’s brightest student-athletes,” said Lady Falcons’ Head Coach Nikki Bynum Bumpass, who spearheaded the idea for a presentation. “Gracyn has been through a huge ordeal. For her to surpass all obstacles in her senior season is phenomenal. The Falcon Family just wanted her to know that we are praying with and for her during this difficult time in her life. On the court, these young student-athletes are competitors but off the court they are building relationships for life.”
Once the match began, it was all Lady Falcons. Porter added 12 digs while Zoey Isom (Fr./Phoenix, AZ) posted a match-highs 20 digs and three service aces. Juliseea Thomas (Sr./St. Croix, US Virgin Islands) and Meghan Mahon (Jr./Houston, TX) contributed 15 and 11 assists, respectfully, for the Lady Falcons, who totaled 36 kills to 25 for the Golden Bulls.
Anteesha Smoots led the Golden Bulls with 10 kills. Shanae Hughes added 20 assists and 11 digs for the Golden Bulls (3-14 overall, 1-8 CIAA), who dropped to 0-6 in the Southern Division.
With the win, the Lady Falcons (8-9 overall, 4-5 CIAA) moved into a fourth-place division tie with Livingstone College, who lost to Shaw University on Monday. Both teams are 2-4 in the division with four conference matches left. The top four Southern Division teams at the end of the regular season advance to the conference tournament on Nov. 20-22 in Fayetteville, N.C.
Saint Augustine’s University will host Bluefield State College in a nonconference women’s volleyball match at Emery Gymnasium in Raleigh, N.C., tonight (Friday, Oct. 23. Admission is free to the match, which begins at 6 p.m.
— Office of Sports Information
