ELON, N.C. – North Carolina A&T defeated Mercer 3-1 (25-23, 14-25, 27-25, 25-16) Saturday afternoon in Schar Center to go 2-0 during the Aggie/Phoenix Volley for Unity Tournament. 
The two teams faced each other for the first time in nine years. The Aggies (5-3) beat the Bears for the first time in 20 years as A&T tied the all-time series at three.      
                          
"It was a really solid win," said A&T coach Hal Clifton said.  "Had a couple players come off the bench and really step in a make a difference. But it was a really good steady match for us.  We made some adjustments in the third set and we jumped out in the fourth set and never looked back.  We beat a really solid Mercer team and a really good win for the program today."

The win over Mercer gives the Aggies a 2-1 record against the Southern Conference after wins over Samford and Mercer and a loss to UNC Greensboro. 

The Aggies set a season-high with 12.0 team blocks as three Aggies had at least five block assists. A&T has recorded at least 10 team blocks four times this season.    
             
"We've been working our blocking for the past week," Macenzie Richards said.  "All of us have incredible athleticism.  We've been working really hard, press over, getting our hands over quick and being aggressive."

Mallory Porcher (6-0, JR, middle blocker, Orlando, Fla.) led the team with a match-high six blocks, including one solo block, and added five kills with a .286 hitting percentage. Shaylynn Hall (6-1, SR, middle blocker, Raleigh, N.C.) recorded five block assists and six kills with a .357 hitting percentage, and Richards (6-0, SR, right side, Pickerington, Ohio) had five block assists, seven digs and four kills.

Naiya Sawtelle (6-0, FR, outside hitter, Stuart, Fla.) led the Aggies with 13 kills. Edie Brewer (6-0, GR, setter, West Chester, Ohio) led the Aggies with 20 assists and added six kills, four service aces, five digs and four blocks, including one solo block.  Brewer and Sawtelle were named on the all-tournament team.

Hannah Howell (6-0, FR, outside hitter, St. Louis Park, Minn.) and Andrea Laboy-Rivera (5-5, SR, libero, Coamo, Puerto Rico) led the Aggies with 11 digs each. Howell added six kills, two service aces and a block.

A&T took a 22-17 lead in the first set on a Sawtelle kill. Mercer's Rayanne de Oliveira responded with a kill before the Aggies grabbed a one-match lead with a block assist from Brewer and Hall.
Mercer used a 5-0 run toward the end of the second set to cruise to a second-set win.

The Bears led most of the third set, but a 3-0 Aggies run fueled by a Richards kill and a block assist from Richards and Hall block assist gave the Aggies a 23-22 lead.

With the Aggies facing set point, Sawtelle came through with back-to-back kills to give A&T a 25-24 lead.  However, Mercer tied the match at 25 after a Brittany Major kill.  A Bear service error and a block by Brewer and Porcher gave the Aggies the two-point set win and the 2-1 match lead.

A&T jumped out to a 10-1 lead in the fourth set and were never seriously threatened from there.

Major led the Bears with 15 kills and 14 digs. Agnieska Paskevic posted 44 assists and Megan Smith had 16 digs.