DOVER, Del. --- The Delaware State women's volleyball team will travel to North Carolina Central University (NCCU) and South Carolina State University (S.C. State) for two Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) matchups this weekend.
 
The Hornets will face the Eagles of NCCU first on Friday evening. Both teams are coming off 3-0 victories in their previous MEAC matches. Delaware State swept University of Maryland Eastern Shore while NCCU was victorious over S.C. State.
 
Delaware State and NCCU split the 2021 regular season matchups with each team winning on home court.
 
Middle blocker Alondra Maldonado who currently leads Delaware State in total kills (145), also led the Hornets offensively during the 2021 regular season against NCCU. She recorded a team-high 24 kills averaging an even 3 kills per set. With 4 total blocks giving her 26.5 points, Maldonado scored 3.31 points per set last season against the Eagles.
 
Defensively, senior middle blocker Sydney Lewis who enters this weekend as the MEAC leader in hitting percentage (.414) as well as blocks (total and per set average) (67, 1.18) was a defensive force in her junior year against NCCU. Lewis tied for a team-best with 6 total blocks last year (3 BS, 3 BA) over the Eagles.
 
NCCU will look to freshman outside hitter Kamren Harper who comes into Friday night's match as the reigning MEAC Player of the Week as well as MEAC Rookie of the Week. The Eagles' total kills leader (114) recorded 16.5 points in NCCU's 3-0 win over S.C. State last week. Harper tallied 11 kills, five service aces and one block assist powering the Eagles' victory against the Bulldogs.
 
First serve from McDougald-McLendon Arena is currently scheduled for 6 p.m.
 
After Friday night's match in Durham, Delaware State will travel down to Orangeburg, South Carolina to face the S.C. State Bulldogs on Sunday.
 
The 2021 matchup between these two teams went in favor of the Hornets who clinched two straight-set sweeps over the Bulldogs.
 
Maldonado and Kelsie Dawson contributed to the offensive effort with 12 kills each. As a team, Delaware State landed 20 service aces led by Lewis with a team-high five. Lewis was also a defensive leader in this match up with six total blocks.
 
As S.C. State looks for their first win of the 2022 season, the Bulldogs will turn to junior outside hitter Semira Fields who leads the team in total kills (70) recording 1.67 kills per set. With 10 total blocks this year, Fields has tallied 80.5 points scoring 1.92 per set.
 
First serve from Dukes Gymnasium is scheduled for Sunday at 12 p.m.