North Carolina A&T outlasts Bethune-Cookman in five sets
GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Delicia Pierre had 20 kills and 20 digs, but Bethune-Cookman dropped a 3-2 (15-25, 25-21, 21-25,25-22,18-16) Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference match to North Carolina A&T Sunday afternoon.
Freshman Rakaya Neely also had 20 kills as the Lady Cats (9-19 overall, 7-2 MEAC South) saw their three-match winning streak snapped in their sixth five-set match of the season. B-CU is now 4-2 in those matches, one coming in the first meeting with the Aggies.
North Carolina A&T (4-21,4-4) jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the fifth set, but the Lady Cats battled back and took a 12-11 lead on a Jill Arlaud kill. The Aggies scored the next three points to pull within one point of winning the match, but B-CU forced three ties before the Aggies managed the final two points for the victory.
Pierre, who registered her sixth double-double of the season, also contributed three service aces and four blocks.
Setter Hazel Ortiz Rosado also posted a double-double of 48 assists and 15 digs while registering five service aces to bring her conference-leading total to 49 for the season.
Sophomore Normarie Rolon matched her career high of 25 digs, the fourth-best single-match total in program history. Rechez Lindsay added 16 digs, and Neely posted five blocks.
The Lady Cats host Florida A&M next Sunday at 1 p.m. in their regular season finale.
For complete story, visit www.bcuathletics.com or www.ncataggies.com
Delaware State falls in straight sets to Morgan State
BALTIMORE, Md. --- Morgan State completed a season sweep of Delaware State with a
3-0 victory in a MEAC match at MSU’s Hill Field House.
The scores were 25-23, 25-18 and 25-16.
The Bears won their second straight match to improve to 13-11 overall and 6-5 in the MEAC. The dropped their eighth straight to fall to 1-23 and 1-8.
Morgan State posted a .352 hitting percentage in the match. The Bears tallied 43 kills and 11 errors on 91 attacks. MSU recorded 40 assists, 39 digs and 11 blocks in the contest.
Delaware State collected 29 kills and 14 errors on 89 attempts for a .169 attack percentage. The Hornets had 25 assists, 30 digs and seven blocks. Jae Jackson had a team-high four blocks, including two solos.
Jasmine Jackson led the Hornets with 11 kills on 24 attempts (.333) and six digs.
The Hornets return to action this Friday (Nov. 7) at Hampton. The MEAC contest begins at 6 p.m.
For complete story, visit www.dsuhornets.com or www.morganstatebears.com
Lady Pirates suffer first MEAC loss at Howard
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Despite a spirited comeback in a raucous environment, the Hampton University volleyball team suffered its first conference loss on Sunday in Burr Gymnasium, as Howard won 3-2 (25-20, 27-25, 21-25, 23-25, 15-10).
The Lady Pirates (15-10, 8-1 MEAC) have still won 10 of their last 12 matches.
Senior rightside Vendula Strakova led the Lady Pirates with 33 kills, tying both her career high and the program record for most kills in a five-set match. She added a team-high 17 digs for her 15th double-double of the season, four aces, and hit .369.
Senior outside hitters Krista Kraskura and Sonja Maksimovic had 11 and 10 kills, respectively. Kraskura also had 11 digs for her 10th double-double of the season.
Senior setter Kitija Megne had 52 assists and 10 digs.
The Lady Pirates hit .245 (64 kills, 25 errors in 159 attacks) and had a 9-3 edge in aces. Howard (16-9, 9-1 MEAC) hit .352 and held an 11.5-7.0 edge in team blocks.
The Lady Pirates return to Holland Hall on Friday to take on Delaware State at 6 p.m.
For complete story, visit www.hamptonpirates.com or www.hubison.com
Coppin State knocks off Maryland Eastern Shore in five sets
BALTIMORE, Md. – The Coppin State volleyball team sent its seniors out with a bang, fighting until the end to earn a 3-2 triumph over Maryland Eastern Shore on Senior Day in the Auxiliary Gym.
The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Northern Division rivals gave the fans quite a show.
The Eagles took the first set, 25-20. Not to be outdone, the Hawks won the next two sets, 25-21 and 29-27. Facing a 2-1 deficit, Coppin State stepped up and took the fourth set 25-21. The Eagles took the deciding fifth set in 11 minutes with a 15-5 game-winning score.
When the two teams met earlier this season, they sparred just as hard, going five sets, ending with a 3-2 Eagles victory. However, that didn’t stop Coppin State from wanting a three-set decision.
Ariel Richard definitely showed up and showed out on Senior Day. She led the Eagles with a match and season-high 22 kills, earning her seventh career match with 20 or more kills. She added 12 digs in the win, making this her 18th career double-double. Richard finished the match and her home career with a flourish by recording the final kill, which clinched the match.
Senior Kandace Thomas recorded 12 kills in her final home game. Junior Cindy Okpegbue added 15 kills. Okpegbue and Richard combined for 10 of Coppin State’s 11 kills in the fifth set. Junior Chelsee Sauni notched a match-high 48 assists. Seniors Gabrielle Otero and Nicole Malave-Adams combined for 36 digs, Otero with a match-high 25 and Malave-Adams with 11.
UMES’ Haley Robinson had a double-double (15 kills and 25 assists). Ksenia Sukhareva and Alana Polk each finished with double-digit kills, 14 and 11, respectively. Sonia Rosales topped the Hawks with 28 assists. Precious Manu had a team-high 19 digs.
Senior Day marked the last time Malave-Adams, Otero, Richard, and Thomas would wear blue and gold in the Auxiliary Gym. The four seniors wanted to leave their mark in the history books and did just that. The volleyball team’s victory over UMES is Coppin State’s 13th win of the regular season, tying the school record for most regular season wins.
Sunday afternoon’s success earned the Eagles a playoff berth into the MEAC Volleyball Tournament, which runs from Friday Nov. 21 through Sunday Nov. 23.
Coppin State will finish its regular season on the road, starting at the New Jersey Institute of Technology on Friday Nov. 7 at 7 p.m. The Eagles then travel to Howard University for a MEAC rematch on Sunday Nov. 9 at 3 p.m.
For complete story, visit www.coppinstatesports.com or www.umeshawks.com