Livingstone-Elizabeth City Box Score
Livingstone-St. Paul's Box Score

HAMPTON, VA – The Livingstone volleyball team split its two matches Sunday in the final day of the 2009 CIAA Round-Up.

In their final match of the CIAA Round-Up the Blue Bears (8-1) defeated the St. Paul's College Tigers 3-0 (27-25, 25-23, 25-21).

Livingstone was led offensively by freshman middle hitter Lakitta Hicks who finished the match with 12 kills, a team high, and also totaled 13 digs which tied for the team lead. 

The first game was a battle from the get go.  Livingstone went up 4-1 early and held an 8-4 lead before St. Paul's took six of seven points to take a 10-9 edge.  The Blue Bears returned the favor and took six of seven of their own and went up 15-11.  The Tigers fought back and squared the game at 18 and the teams continued to battle back and forth.  Livingstone had game point at 25-24, but an attack error sent the game into extra points.  The Blue Bears recovered to take two-straight points to take game one 27-25.

The second game didn't get any easier for either team as neither squad had more than a two-point edge throughout the game.  Late in the game Livingstone had game point, but the Tigers wouldn't go down easily.  St. Paul's late drive fell short and the Blue Bears took game two 25-23.

Livingstone had an easier go of it in the third game as they jumped out to an early 5-0 lead.  St. Paul's battled back to within one at 7-6, but that was the last time they were that close.  Livingstone closed out the Tigers 25-21 in the third game and took the match 3-0.

Livingstone's first loss of the season came at the hands of  Elizabeth City State as they fell to the Vikings 3-0 (14-25, 14-25, 16-25) in their first match Sunday.

The Blue Bears struggled offensively against the Vikings as they amassed only a .011 hitting percentage for the match.

The Vikings jumped all over the Blue Bears in the first game and ECSU controlled the game from the service line.  The Vikings took the first game 25-14.

Livingstone looked reinvigorated early in the second set as they jumped out to an early 5-1 lead.  With the Blue Bears holding a 7-3 edge, the Vikings rattled off 10-straight points to turn the tables and go up 13-7.  After that run the Vikings controlled the remainder of the game and took the second game 25-14.

Another big run by the Vikings in the third game gave them the edge.  The game was tied at 14, but ECSU took five-straight points to go up 19-14 and the Blue Bears couldn't recover.  ECSU took the third game 25-16 and the match 3-0.

The Blue Bears will now have a week to recuperate from their six matches in three days as their next match will be on Saturday, Sept. 19 at 1p.m. when they host St. Paul's College.