RALEIGH, N.C.  - The Shaw University volleyball team won a critical divisional matchup with a five-set win over cross-town rival Saint Augustine's in a match played before a raucous C.C. Spaulding Gymnasium crowd. 

The Lady Bears fought back from a six-point deficit in the deciding fifth set, finally taking the game 19-17.  Shaw won the first set 25-21, then the Lady Falcons claimed the second and third set 25-14 and 25-21. 

Just before the fourth set started, the Shaw drum line made an appearance that seemed to fire up the Lady Bears.  Shaw won the fourth 25-19, then fought back for the 19-17 fifth set win.

Shaw trailed in four of the five sets - only holding the lead throughout the fourth set.

With the win, Shaw improves to 4-7 in the CIAA, 2-3 in the division.  The loss knocks Saint Augustine's to 1-4 in the division, one game out of the critical fourth position.  Only the top four teams in each division  make the CIAA tournament.  Overall, Shaw is 8-10 while Saint Aug is 4-15, 4-7 in the conference.  The win snaps a six-game losing streak for Shaw.

In the critical fifth set, Saint Augustine's got a four-point service run from Victoria Davis that helped them build a 6-2 lead early.  Brittany Hicks added two kills for the Lady Falcons that gave them an 8-2 lead in the first-to-15 set.

Facing game point and down 14-9, Shaw got a point off a Lady Falcon service error, then Shaye Walton began a service run that featured kills by Crystal Gordon and Sashane Watson, and tied the game at 14. 

The teams exchanged points until Julieesa Thomas had a kill off a Davis pass and gave Saint Augsutine's a 17-16 lead.

Gordon got the ball back for the Lady Bears and tied the score at 17 with a kill, then Quianna Myers served out the set, concluding with an ace that gave the Lady Bears the win.

Gordon and Walton had 13 kills apiece to lead Shaw, while Watson added another 11.  Watson led the team in digs with 20 and Arielle Fairley had 15.  Courtnee Kelly had 35 assists.  Watson had three service aces. 

Hicks had 16 kills to pace Saint Augustine's and Davis had 11.  Thomas had 42 assists to lead both squads, while Davis' four aces were the best in the match.  Four Lady Falcons had double-digit digs, with Davis leading with 16.

Shaw returns to action Thursday when they travel to Salisbury, N.C., to take on Livingstone.  They do not return home until Thursday, October 25 when they host Virginia-Lynchburg at 6:00 p.m.