CHARLESTON, S.C. – With Athena Ardila, Erica Staunton and Nailah Jenkins reaching double-digit kill totals on Saturday night, the 2019 CAA tournament-bound Northeastern women's volleyball team made routine work of College of Charleston, defeating the Cougars in straight sets at TD Arena (30-28, 25-22, 25-22).
 
Ardila scored seven of her team high, 14 kills, during the opening set, during which the Huskies overcame their 23-19 deficit to win their longest deuce set of the 2019 season. Staunton landed 13 kills on 26 attacks to pace NU in hitting percentage (.385) while Jenkins smacked 10 kills and hit .304.
 
Samantha Shupe did the bulk of the setting for Northeastern (14-12, 8-6 CAA), which had clinched its fourth consecutive CAA tournament appearance before play started against College of Charleston (6-20, 3-11 CAA).
 
Clare Lund, Nicole Magbanua and Kayla Martin policed the back row for the Huskies, finishing with 12, 11 and 11 digs, respectively.
 
Northeastern battled back repeatedly during the first set, digging out from three separate four-point deficits at 9-5, 19-15 and 23-19. Shupe set Ardila for two kills that wiped away two of the five set points that the Cougars later earned, keeping NU alive.
 
Ardila buried another kill to present the Huskies with their first set point at 29-28, setting the stage for Natalie Shollin to deliver the set-clinching service ace.
 
Despite Charleston starting the second set with the 8-3 scoring run, Northeastern relied on the attacks of Staunton and Shollin to claw back and draw even at 13-13. The Huskies went on to double the Cougars in second-set kills, 18-9, holding off Charleston late to take the two-set lead in the match.
 
Northeastern turned in the 5-1 scoring run to break the third set's 9-9 tie, cruising to the 20-13 advantage. Although Charleston would close within two points twice at 22-20 and 24-22, a bad set by the Cougars secured NU the road victory.

Lauren Freed led Charleston with 12 kills in addition to registering two blocks and six digs.

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