Oct. 28, 2010
Final Stats
FAYETTEVILLE, NC - Samantha Meeks stood at the end line, ball in hand.
She took a step forward, lofted the ball high in the air - and ascended.
It was her last serve in Felton J. Capel Arena. And it went for a winning ace.
One play before, Serria Gilmore got the credit for the point that handed Meeks match point. But it was Achari Mainor's typically perfect assist that set it up.
Meeks (Sr., Laurinburg, NC) and Mainor (Sr., Antioch, CA) celebrated their Senior Night in style on Thursday night, leading Fayetteville State to a convincing straight-set victory over Shaw. The Lady Broncos won by the scores of 25-15, 25-11 and 25-14.
"I'm kind of overwhelmed," said Mainor. "It's amazing that I was playing at Capel for the last time. I really had a great time this season; I can't believe it went so fast."
The match itself went quickly, mostly because of the play of the team's two seniors, who were honored before the match. Meeks and Mainor, both two-time First Team All-CIAA selections, were especially spectacular. Meeks moved closer to 1,000 career kills with a game-high 14 against the Lady Bears (3-16, 3-13) while Mainor, already with more than 3,200 assists in her career, tacked on 37 more as the Lady Broncos (13-6, 13-5) scored on 48 percent of their attacks.
"They've played together for four years, and off the court they are extremely close," Broncos coach Reeshemah Johnson said of Meeks and Mainor. "And so on the court, they really click, and that showed up tonight."
Fayetteville State scored in a variety of ways against the overmatched Lady Bears, using thunderous kills from most of the front line -- including Octavia Wynn (So., Hope Mills, NC), who had eight kills, and Ifeyinwa Nwokolo (So., Greensboro, NC), who had seven kills -- along with clever tips and floaters. Jessica Hardy (Fr., Fayetteville, NC) also had her moments, finishing with five kills.
All of the offense added up to the match's final moment. It was a final moment for Mainor - and Meeks, especially.
Meeks struck the final serve perfectly, and the ball rocketed over the net and toward the middle of the floor. It began a sinking descent once it cleared the net, and the Lady Bears had no play on the ball as it thundered to the floor.
And with that, Meeks' and Mainor's careers at Capel Arena were completed - in a perfect way.
"It's just a great ending to a great career," said Meeks.
"They played like seniors should," Johnson said of Meeks and Mainor. "And Sam finished the game."
The season is far from complete for the Lady Broncos, who will try to make a fourth straight run to the CIAA Championship game when they start the tournament on Friday, Nov. 5.
Shaw was led by Sharetta Riggins' three kills and Ashley Johnson's three assists. Riggins and Cherise Hariston led the team with four digs apiece.
JaMisha Jordan (Fr., Fayetteville, NC) led the Lady Broncos with 11 digs while Wynn added seven.
