NORFOLK, Va. — Norfolk State closed the first set on a 7-0 run and never trailed again, sweeping Bowie State 3-0 (25-14, 25-19, 25-20) on Tuesday night in front of 417 at Gill Gymnasium.
Gabrielle Gilbert led all players with 15 kills and 15.0 points, hitting .324 with five digs. The senior, who broke Norfolk State's career kills record last weekend at the UNCW Invitational, now has 1,229 for her career.
The Spartans (3-6) hit .239 as a team and held Bowie State (2-3) to .034, out-blocking the Bulldogs 8.0-4.0 and winning the dig battle 42-33. Norfolk State snapped a four-match losing streak.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Set 1 (NSU 25-14): Gilbert opened the match with a kill off a Jazeli Vandenburgh set, and Vandenburgh followed with back-to-back aces for a 4-1 lead. Bowie State closed to 10-8 behind an Abena Asomani-Martin ace and a block, but a Nehir Erimez ace started a stretch in which the Spartans scored nine of the next 11 points. Leading 19-14, Norfolk State reeled off the last seven points of the set, six of them with Briana Ellis serving, capped by kills from Ava Berry, Gilbert and Kyleigh Moore.
Set 2 (NSU 25-19): The Bulldogs jumped out 4-0 and led 11-7 before the Spartans answered with five straight points, four of them on Gilbert's serve, to take a 12-11 lead. Catori Crawford supplied two kills in the run and Berry and Crawford teamed for a block. Norfolk State pushed the margin to 15-12 on kills from Crawford and Reagan Chisholm, then put it away with a four-point Ellis service run for a 22-16 cushion. Gilbert ended the set with a kill from Erimez.
Set 3 (NSU 25-20): Tied 4-4, Kaden Sanders served four consecutive points, including a Chisholm kill and an ace, to make it 9-4. Vandenburgh added an ace for a 12-6 lead. Bowie State twice cut the deficit to three, but Kailia Phillips served three straight points, among them an ace, to put the Spartans up 20-13. Gilbert's kill made it 22-17, and Norfolk State closed it out on a Melisa Anacius attack error.
SPARTAN STANDOUTS
Chisholm was perfect at the net, converting all five of her swings into kills and adding three block assists for 6.5 points. Crawford and Moore added five kills apiece, and Berry led the Spartans with 3.5 blocks, including two solo stops.
Vandenburgh finished with four aces, nine digs and six assists across two sets. Jasmine Mataira distributed 12 assists with an ace and four digs, while Erimez added 10 assists, three digs and an ace. Isis Castille contributed two block assists and three digs off the bench.
Payton Swinton paced Bowie State with eight kills, two aces, five digs and 11.0 points. Gabrielle Hale handed out 16 assists and Reece Culver led the Bulldogs with seven digs.
UP NEXT
Norfolk State heads to Radford for a three-match weekend. The Spartans open against Bellarmine at 10 a.m. Friday, Sept. 18, face host Radford at 7 p.m. that evening and close against UT Chattanooga at 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 19.
For complete coverage of Norfolk State Athletics, follow the Spartans on social media at @nsuspartans (X/Twitter), /NorfolkStateAthletics (Facebook), @NSUAthletics (Instagram) and @nsuathletics (YouTube), or visit the official home of Norfolk State Athletics at nsuspartans.com.
