ORANGEBURG, S.C. (Nov. 13, 2026) — The South Carolina State women's volleyball team closed out its 2026 regular season Friday evening, falling to Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) rival North Carolina Central in straight sets (15-25, 15-25, 18-25) inside Dukes Gymnasium.
The Lady Bulldogs finished the regular season with a 6-24 overall record and a 1-13 mark in MEAC play, while North Carolina Central improved to 10-17 overall and 7-7 in conference action.
Despite the setback, South Carolina State showed offensive improvement in the third set, recording a match-high 12 kills while continuing to battle against an efficient Eagles attack.
Jessika Martinez led the Lady Bulldogs offensively with six kills and a .273 hitting percentage. Kenna Harris followed with five kills, while
Arianna James contributed four kills and a team-high nine assists.
Macey McCoy added seven assists to help direct the South Carolina State offense.
Defensively,
Ki'ra Wright finished with a team-high seven digs, while
Jayden Mathis and
Jordan Dalland added five digs apiece. De'Oni McPhearson contributed two solo blocks.
North Carolina Central established control early in the opening set after the teams battled through several ties. With the score tied at 10, the Eagles used a nine-point scoring run to build a commanding 19-10 advantage before securing the 25-15 victory.
The second set featured another competitive start as South Carolina State battled back from an early deficit to take a 13-12 lead. The Lady Bulldogs remained within striking distance before the Eagles closed the set with 10 consecutive points to claim another 25-15 win.
In the third set, South Carolina State continued to compete despite falling behind early. The Lady Bulldogs produced their strongest offensive set of the match, collecting 12 kills, including three each from Martinez and
Taelyn Graham. However, North Carolina Central maintained its advantage and completed the sweep with a 25-18 decision.
The Eagles were led by Shalyn Bell, who finished with a match-high 10 kills and four service aces. Breylan Fairley directed the offense with 14 assists and delivered nine service aces, while Talia Emmen added seven kills and nine digs.
North Carolina Central finished with 36 kills and a .364 hitting percentage, compared with 24 kills and a .147 hitting percentage for South Carolina State. The Eagles also held a commanding 17-1 advantage in service aces.
The contest marked the conclusion of the Lady Bulldogs' regular-season schedule under interim head coach Chymaine Guinyard.
South Carolina State will look to build on the experience gained throughout the season as the program continues its development heading into the offseason.
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