ORANGEBURG, S.C. – The Hampton University volleyball team will compete in the South Carolina State SpikeFest on Friday and Saturday at the Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center, playing four games in two days.

 

The Lady Pirates (0-11) will open play on Friday at 2 p.m. against The Citadel, before facing tournament host South Carolina State at 6 p.m. On Saturday, Hampton will take on Mercer at 11 a.m., before closing the tournament against North Carolina Central at 1 p.m.

 

Senior Aaryn Harrison (Cary, N.C.), an All-Tournament Team selection this past weekend in Buffalo, N.Y., leads the Lady Pirates with 71 kills so far this season, an average of 2.29 per set. Junior Lina Cordoba (Bogota, Colombia) leads the team in hitting percentage at .203, thanks to 24 kills and just 10 errors in 69 total attacks.

 

Harrison also has a team-high seven service aces.

 

Junior Lihi Elkayam (Misgav, Israel) has 238 of Hampton's 278 assists on the year, averaging 7.00 per set. Freshman Sheileen Pagan (Rio Grande, Puerto Rico) leads the Lady Pirates with 68 digs on defense – 2.06 per set – while senior Ivana Suput has 65 digs on the season.

 

The Citadel (3-8) has won two straight, thanks in large part to senior Tatum Jestila, who leads the team with 82 kills this season – an average of 2.41 per set. Sophomore Kaona Mercer has 80 kills on the season, averaging 2.35 per set. Among players with at least 20 sets played, Mercer has a team-best .234 hitting percentage.

 

Jestila also leads the team with 123 digs on defense.

 

South Carolina State (1-10), which also competed in the Tiny L. Laster Memorial Tournament, is led by senior Jarne Gleaton, who has 82 kills so far this season for an average of 2.83 per set. Among players with at least 20 sets played, sophomore Shabree Roberson leads the Lady Bulldogs with a .232 hitting percentage (78 kills, 35 errors in 185 total attacks).

 

Mercer (2-10) is led by senior Krista Hurley, who has 79 kills on the season – an average of 1.98 per set. Her .197 hitting percentage also leads the team, while junior Amiee Frutchey in averaging 1.97 kills per set on the season.

 

Freshman Bridget Sheerin leads the team with nine service aces.

 

NCCU (1-8) has lost four straight matches, and senior Belinda Behncke-Biney leads the team with 65 kills on the seaon. Her 2.79 kills per set and .047 hitting percentage are also the best on the team.