BUIES CREEK, N.C. - The final two matches of non-conference play were a split for American University volleyball, as the Eagles lost a tough, five-set match to Western Carolina but bounced back with a four-set victory over North Carolina Central. Heading into Patriot League play next weekend, AU's record stands at 10-2, its best since the 2013 season. In AU's second match of the day, senior libero
Bridget Javitch reached the milestone of 1,000 career digs.
Campbell Invitational All-Tournament Team
- For their performances in the Eagles' 2-1 weekend, junior Adelina Berisha and sophomore Sofia Osterdahl were both named to the Campbell Invitational All-Tournament Team.
- Both players reached double digits in kills in all three matches, with Berisha also hitting double digits in digs in all three.
Notable (Western Carolina)
- For a second straight match, junior Adelina Berisha topped 20 kills by leading all players in the match with 23. It was also her fourth double-double of the season with 17 digs.
- The most efficient hitter of the match for the Eagles was sophomore Sofia Osterdahl with a career-high 14 kills while hitting .344.
- Freshman Zedo Yilmaz posted her fifth double-double with 16 digs to go with 10 kills, also serving up three aces.
- Senior Bridget Javitch led AU with 22 digs, and freshman Bella Marrero finished with 13 digs.
- Senior setter Esma Sipahi added eight digs, three kills and two blocks to 56 assists.
- Western Carolina's Janelle Blue finished with 14 blocks, and the Catamounts had 17 as a team compared to just seven for American.
How it Happened (Western Carolina)
- Berisha and Osterdahl combined for nine kills in a first-set win for AU, as the Eagles hit .306 to Western Carolina's .000 and won 25-19.
- Momentum quickly shifted in the second set as AU found itself down 12-3 and 16-6 before a 7-0 run got the Eagles back in it.
- The comeback attempt fell short in the end, as Western Carolina's Logan Carr put down four kills in the final six points to give her team the 25-19 win and tie up the match at 1-1.
- In a wild third set, the Eagles led by 10 points at 19-9 before a 9-0 run by the Catamounts changed the game. AU later led 23-19 but Western Carolina charged back again, tying the score at 24-24 before back-to-back Yilmaz kills gave the Eagles a 26-24 win and a 2-1 lead.
- With a 4-0 run in the fourth set, the Eagles nearly erased a five-point, 19-14 deficit, but couldn't tie it up. They were later within a point yet again at 22-21, but lost 25-22.
- The final set saw Western Carolina charge out to a big lead and hold it easily, winning 15-7 to take the match.
Notable (NC Central)
- The Eagles posted 95 digs in the four-set win, their most in almost two seasons.
- Javitch led the way with a career-high 27 digs, also serving up three aces. With just her first dig in the match, Javitch reached the 1,000-dig mark in her career.
- Berisha made it two double-doubles for the day and fifth of the season, adding a career-high 21 digs to 10 kills.
- Sipahi also tallied a double-double with 43 assists and 20 digs.
- For the third match in a row, Osterdahl reached double figures in kills with 13, and Yilmaz led the Eagles with 16 kills.
- Senior Lilou Stegeman added a match-high six blocks to eight kills and two aces.
How it Happened (NC Central)
- American set the tone early against NC Central, going up 11-4 and eventually leading 23-16. The Eagles held off a run to win 25-21 behind five kills each for Osterdahl and Yilmaz, with Osterdahl knocking down the set-winner.
- In team kills for the first set, American held a 16-7 advantage.
- The second set was all AU, as the Eagles took a 13-6 lead after a 5-0 run and later used a 4-0 run to win 25-13.
- AU had 15 kills to NCCU's five in the second set, led by seven from Berisha and five from Osterdahl.
- Errors plagued American in the third set as North Carolina Central jumped ahead and held the lead the whole way, winning 25-17 to stay in the match.
- The Eagles found their fight in the fourth set in a big way, having to erase a 24-20 deficit to eventually win 28-26.
- After one match point for AU at 25-24, it was tied again. Stegeman gave AU a second match point with a kill for 26-25, and later a third match point with another kill at 27-26.
- Finally, the Eagles put it away with a block assist from freshmen Deniz Dakak and Sophia Nagy, making a difference in their first appearance in a match this season.
Next Up
- The Eagles will begin Patriot League play on the road, facing Loyola Maryland at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 20, and then Navy at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 21.
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