NORFOLK, Va. – The Norfolk State volleyball team won its second straight MEAC match Sunday, starting fast and then surging late past Morgan State by a 3-1 score at Gill Gymnasium. The Spartans (6-11, 2-4) won the first set 25-16 before dropping set 2, 25-21. NSU then won the next two sets, 25-15 and 28-26.
Paola Matos and
Shonte Seale led the Spartan attack for the second straight match, combining for 27 kills. Matos had a team-high 14, Seale posted 13 for the second straight match, and
Rachel Williams also came up big with 10 kills and 11 digs for her fourth double-double of the year.
The Spartans held MSU (3-16, 1-4) to a .051 hitting percentage in the opening set. Williams, Matos and Seale each recorded three kills and NSU never trailed in the set.
The Bears bounced back in the second set, using a 7-1 midway through to break away from a 10-all tie. The Bears hit .364 in the set with 16 kills to even the match.
But the Spartans turned the momentum back in their favor with a strong showing in the third set. NSU hit a blistering .458 in the set, notching 15 kills. Williams and Matos had four each, Seale had three and
Gracie Teeter added a pair to help the Spartans regain the lead.
MSU started the fourth set by scoring the first four points. Later, a kill by Madison Grace capped a 5-1 spurt by the Bears that put them ahead, 14-6. The Spartans couldn't seem to get closer than four points for most of the set, and another kill from Grace put MSU ahead 24-19 and on the verge of tying the match up.
But NSU had one more rally in it. The Spartans scored the next six points thanks to a combined block by Matos and Teeter, two kills by Matos and a trio of Bear errors to take a 25-24 lead. The Bears rallied for two more points to reach set point for the seventh time, but Seale put down two kills before Matos finished off the match with her 14
th kill of the night. Matos posted six kills in the clinching set.
Taylor Eichelberger added seven kills for the Spartans, who also had eight aces and eight blocks on the day. Williams and
Siera Jones both had a team-high three aces.
Caris Cross dished out 43 assists, her second-most of the year, and
Nicole Rodriguez tied her season high with 24 digs. Seale added six digs.
Makila Billingsley led MSU with 16 kills.
The Spartans are on the road next weekend for a pair of matches, beginning with a 6 p.m. match at South Carolina State on Friday.
