Coppin State suffers setback to Manhattan
TOWSON, Md. - The Coppin State volleyball team started its 2015 season with a 3-1 setback to Manhattan College in the Towson Invitational at SECU Arena on Friday afternoon.
The Eagles (0-1 overall) mounted a furious rally and played strong before falling short by scores of 17-25, 18-25, 25-17, 24-26. Pacing Coppin State during the match was senior preseason All-MEAC selection Cindy Okpegbue, who delivered a match-high 17 kills. It was the 43rd time in her stellar career that she has finished with double-digit kills in a match.
Chelsee Sauni recorded her 3,000th career assist. It was meaningful as it helped the Lady Eagles stretch their third set advantage to 22-17. She finished with a match best 40 assists. Now the road to 4,000 begins for the preseason All-MEAC selection.
Kendra Ireigbe closed in on a milestone with her 12 kill and five block performance. Ireigbe needs two blocks to move past Brittany Arvin and become Coppin State's all-time leader in that category. Overall, Coppin State finished with 17 blocks as a team.
Sauni was also one of three Coppin State players to finish with double-digit digs. She had 10. Marlena Guice posted a solid showing in her collegiate debut with 11 digs and nine kills. Sophomore Glory Rosado had a match-high 20 digs.
Milena Janjusevic and Claire Van Dyk paced the Manhattan (2-0) offense with 15 and 12 kills, respectively. Jade Gray had 39 assists.
Coppin State returns to action Saturday morning at 10:00 a.m. when it meets Tennessee at Towson's SECU Arena.
For complete story, visit www.coppinstatesports.com
Hawks soar to opening day sweep
PRINCESS ANNE, Md. — Any worries that a new team full of freshman and JUCO transfers would have some growing pains were put to rest on Friday, as the upstart Hawk volleyball squad used teamwork and exceptional efforts from players new and experienced to capture victories over Rider and UMass Lowell.
Lucia Babic led the way with 21 kills, and Zuzana Ondruskova also landed in double digit kill numbers with 13. Four Hawks had double figures in digs, with Petra Jerabkova leading that stat with 18. Sophomore Alana Polk also had an impressive match, leading in blocks with four while completing an outstanding .500 kill percentage.
In the nightcap, Babic led the nightcap with 11 kills while Rachel Kayongo chipped in 10 of her own. Senior Andjela Reljic added 14 digs and Polk rose up to deliver three blocks.
UMES squares off against UMass Lowell and Rider again in day two of the Courtyard by Marriott Maroon and Gray Invite. The Hawks will play in matches starting at 2:00p.m. and 6:00p.m. in the William P. Hytche Athletic Center.
For complete story, visit www.umeshawks.com
La Salle Pulls Out Comeback Win over Norfolk State
WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – After a rough start, the Norfolk State volleyball team jumped ahead by a 2-1 margin over La Salle in the teams’ season opener at the Tribe Invitational at William & Mary. The Explorers, though, rebounded to win the final two sets to earn a 3-2 win over the Spartans at Kaplan Arena on Friday.
La Salle had control through the first set thanks to a 25-10 win to open things up. The Spartans rallied to win in extra points in the second set, 29-27, and NSU then pulled ahead in the match after taking the third set, 25-23.
The Explorers tied it up with a 25-17 victory in the fourth set before overcoming a two-point deficit late in the fifth set and prevailing in extra points, 16-14.
NSU, missing two of its top hitters, nevertheless gave it a ride after a horrendous start. The Spartans had just three kills and hit -.188 in the first set but finished the match with a .158 attack percentage. La Salle committed just 13 errors for the entire match while hitting .321.
Senior Angie Darcus paced the way for NSU, setting a new career high with 18 kills while adding 10 digs and two service aces. Junior Tori Tulensru and sophomore Clarke Tyler each added 10 kills, with Tyler tying her previous career high in the process. Tulensru also added a career-best 15 digs for a double-double.
Junior libero Alex Irizarry also set a new career best with 20 digs, while junior Dominique Parker tied her career high with six blocks.
NSU faces Gardner-Webb at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday and then host William & Mary at 7 to closer out the tournament.
For complete story, visit www.nsuspartans.com
Lady Eagles Drop Opener to the Wolfpack
COLUMBIA, S.C. –Freshman outside hitter Sydney Sumner ripped 10 kills in her collegiate debut to highlight play for the North Carolina Central University volleyball team in a 3-0 loss to North Carolina State University in the opening match of the 2015 Gamecock Invitational presented by Hyatt Place hosted by the University of South Carolina on Friday afternoon.
The Wolfpack (1-0) hit .208 to start the season in the win column while holding the Lady Eagles (0-1) to a negative attack.
Sumner added six digs, two aces and 2.5 blocks to her 10 spikes for a match-high 14.5 points.
Senior Kelly Rossip and Kelsey Murphy followed Sumner with five kills apiece.
Junior transfer Casey Curran jumped into the setter position and delivered 18 assists. Freshman Tamika Brekke did the same at the libero position and had 15 digs in her benchmark performance.
For complete story, visit www.nccueaglepride.com
Savannah State Falls to Jacksonville State 3-0
KENNESAW, Ga. – Savannah State University volleyball team fell to Jacksonville State 3-0 (25-14, 25-15, 25-8) in its first match of the 2015 season at the Kennesaw State Invitational in the KSU Convocation Center in Kennesaw, Ga.
Freshman outside hitter Makayla Tam led the Lady Tigers with seven kills and added two digs, while junior setter Caitlynn Masoe led the team with 15 assists and eight digs and added four kills with a .500 hitting percentage.
Senior outside hitter Christian Lyle added four kills and a .375 hitting percentage and freshman outside hitter Chinenye Ofodile added four kills and a .400 hitting percentage.
The Gamecocks were led by Emily Rutherford with eight kills, Jennifer Hart with 23 assists and Hannah Kirk with 11 digs.
The Lady Tigers continue the Kennesaw State Invitational with a doubleheader on Saturday with host Kennesaw State at 12:30 p.m. and Alabama State at 5 p.m. SSU returns home with its first home match of the season against ECU at 1 p.m. at Willcox-Wiley Gym.
For complete story, visit www.ssuathletics.com