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PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland - Using a balanced attack that supplied 47 kills and a .333 hitting percentage, the Maryland Eastern Shore volleyball squad swept past North Carolina Central (25-15, 25-17, 25-23) to advance into the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Championship on Friday (Nov. 17).

The Shore (27-7) will face Florida A&M in the semifinals Saturday (Nov. 18) at noon inside the William P. Hytche Athletic Center.

Sophomore Iva Vujosevic (Bar, Montenegro) and junior Rachel Kayongo (Northridge, California) led the charge on offense, with 14 and 12 kills, respectively. Kayongo continued her torrid pace against MEAC opponents with a .417 hitting percentage.

The Hawks also received outstanding efforts from sophomore Ivana Blazevic (Zagreb, Croatia), junior Maja Jankovic (Ruma, Serbia) and graduate student Mere Serea (Suva, Fiji). Blazevic set for the match and provided 36 assists, Jankovic tallied 14 digs and Serea contributed five kills and a pair of blocks.

North Carolina Central (4-20) had 16 digs from Bree Simmons and 13 kills from Whitney White.

Maryland Eastern Shore used lengthy runs in the middle of the first and second sets, cruising to a 2-0 lead at intermission. The Eagles battled in the third set in an effort to save their season, using a 6-0 burst to reclaim the edge at 17-16. Central increased the lead to four and the match seemed destined to enter a fourth set.

The crucial sideout came on a Kayongo kill. From there the Hawks did not let up, pounding a rally of seven points in eight volleys to secure the victory.

The Hawks now head to the semifinals for the second straight season, and just like last year their opponents will be Florida A&M. In the Rattlers, The Shore is going up against the team that eliminated them in both the 2015 and 2016 championships. A&M has won 16 of the 18 previous matches, with both of the Hawks' triumphs coming in the MEAC Championship match.