This Weekend
Friday: NSU at Howard, 7 p.m., Burr Gymnasium
Sunday: Delaware State at NSU, 3 p.m., Joseph Echols Hall
Live Stats (Sunday) | Live Video (Sunday)

NORFOLK, Va. – A home and away weekend awaits the Norfolk State volleyball team, as the Spartans resume MEAC play at Howard before returning home to host Delaware State this weekend.

NSU will take on the Bison in Washington, D.C., on Friday night at 7 p.m. at Burr Gymnasium. On Sunday, the Spartans will host the Hornets at Joseph Echols Hall beginning at 3 p.m.

The weekend will start to create some separation in the MEAC standings, as both NSU and Howard sit at 2-1 in the Northern Division behind first-place Hampton. Howard also plays fourth-place Coppin State (2-2) on Sunday.

Live stats and a live video feed for Sunday's match with Delaware State will be available at www.nsuspartans.com. The live video feed carries a cost of $5.

Howard owns a 13-6 overall record this year, the best in the MEAC, while Delaware State sits at the bottom of the standings with a 0-3 MEAC mark and a 1-12 overall record. Maryland Eastern Shore (1-2) and Morgan State (1-3) round out the Northern Division standings at No. 5 and No. 6, just ahead of seventh-place Delaware State.

Scouting the Spartans
NSU fell to 6-12 overall after dropping its previous match, a 3-0 loss at VCU on Tuesday. Sophomore Angie Darcus had 12 kills to lead the Spartans in that contest, and her 1.68 kills per set ranks her fifth on the team. Senior Goda Jankauskaite has a team-leading 2.70 kills, with sophomore Jessica Johnson second at 2.42. Also chipping in have been freshman Tori Tulensru (1.92), sophomore Janay Frazier (1.79) and senior Coralie Jarema, whose 92 total kills ranks third on the team.

Sophomore Darcy Moore has posted 9.06 assists per set, with junior Adriana Ramos leading the team with 0.31 service aces.

On the defensive side of the ball, Moore stands second with 2.31 digs behind team leader Noelle Eagles (3.85). The Spartans have not fared as well in their blocking, with Jarema leading the team with 0.49 blocks per set.

Big Night
Jankauskaite's 24 kills last Thursday in a 3-2 win over Morgan State were not only a career high for the senior but the second-most kills in a match in NSU history. The only player to ever post more than 24 was Amanda Johnson, who set the NSU record with 26 on Oct. 17, 2003. Three other times has an NSU player had 24 kills, the last one of those being Beatriz Ferreira on Oct. 28, 2011.

MEAC Rankings
NSU ranks third overall in the MEAC in assists (10.52) while also sitting fourth in kills (11.05), service aces (1.58) and digs (12.78), fifth in opponent hitting percentage (.213), sixth in hitting percentage (.119) and 11th in blocks (1.18).

Moore continues to rank the highest in the individual categories, currently sitting in third in assists per set (9.06). Eagles ranks fifth in digs (3.85), and Jankauskaite is currently ninth in kills (2.70) and 10th in hitting percentage (.211). Ramos also made her way into the rankings this week, as she ranks 10th in service aces (0.31).

National Rankings
Prior to Tuesday's match at VCU, NSU ranked 26th in the nation in service aces per set at 1.63. Moore also became the NSU first player to be ranked this year, as she sits at No. 166 in the nation in assists.

About Howard
The Bison defeated both Delaware State and UMES this year in conference play with wins over other programs such as George Mason, La Salle, both St. Francis schools and Loyola (Md.). Katherine Broussard is by far the team's best hitter, averaging 3.24 kills per set. Stephanie Shultis ranks second in the MEAC with 9.58 assists and is also tops on the Howard team with 0.46 service aces.

Allyson Lods leads the way with 4.35 digs, with Broussard second at 2.79. Assata Conway paces the Bison with 0.91 blocks per set.

About Delaware State
Saint Peter's owns the distinction of being the only team this year to not come up with a win against Delaware State. The Hornets have dropped all three of their MEAC matches, 3-1 to UMES and Howard and 3-0 to Morgan State. Jasmine Jackson, at 3.50 kills per set, is the team's top hitter.

Jackson (2.16 digs) and Jessica Russell-Croucher (2.15) are the team's top two backcourt defenders, with Jae Jackson leading the way with 0.86 blocks.

Up Next
NSU will again have a home and away weekend. The Spartans will host UMES on Oct. 18 at 7 p.m. and head to Hampton on Oct. 20 for a 3 p.m. match start.