OXFORD, Pa. -- Elizabeth City State University volleyball returns to action on Thursday night looking to build on its momentum from a strong showing at the CIAA Round-Up 1, where the Vikings picked up back-to-back sweeps to close the weekend. ECSU (2–11, 2–3 CIAA) will travel to Oxford, Pa., to face the Lincoln Lions (0–14, 0–5 CIAA), who are coming off a competitive stretch against Livingstone and hosts Fayetteville State at the CIAA Round Up 1. The Vikings aim to keep their rhythm rolling as conference play continues.
Last Time Out for ECSU
Elizabeth City State turned in an impressive showing at the CIAA Round-Up I in Fayetteville, N.C., finishing the weekend with a 2-1 record. After opening play with a 3-0 setback to Winston-Salem State, the Vikings bounced back in a big way, sweeping both Johnson C. Smith and Claflin to close out the event.
Setter Serenity Lunnermon guided the offense with steady play throughout, totaling 69 assists and six service aces across the three matches. Clarke Blakemore powered the attack, leading the way with 25 kills and an outstanding .500 hitting percentage for the weekend, including a dominant .786 outing against Johnson C. Smith. Christen Brisbane added depth at the net, recording 13 kills, eight digs, and strong blocking contributions in the front row.
The balanced effort helped ECSU claim consecutive sweeps for the first time this season, showing continued growth as CIAA play heats up.
Scouting the Opponent – Lincoln Lions
The Lincoln Lions (0–14, 0–5 CIAA) are still searching for their first win of the season after a challenging weekend at the CIAA Round-Up I in Fayetteville, N.C. Lincoln dropped matches to Livingstone and defending league champion Fayetteville State but showed encouraging flashes of improvement.
Elise Carter paced the Lions offensively with 13 total kills across the two contests, while setter Ashley Fru tallied 24 assists to run the offense. Donavyn Morris anchored the back row with a strong defensive performance, collecting 31 digs and adding three service aces. Audreynette Lydgate chipped in on both ends, contributing five kills and a pair of blocks during the weekend.
Up Next for ECSU
Following Thursday's matchup at Lincoln, the Vikings return home to host Virginia State University on Monday, October 13 at 6 p.m. inside R.L. Vaughan Center. The contest will serve as ECSU's annual "Dig Pink" match in support of breast cancer awareness, and fans are encouraged to wear pink in solidarity. The Vikings will look to continue their strong conference play in front of the home crowd as they face a competitive Trojans squad.
