CLEMSON, S.C. – Norfolk State volleyball pushed host Clemson to four sets on the final day of the Big Orange Bash, earning a second-set win before falling 3-1 (19-25, 25-23, 17-25, 11-25).
Clemson improved to 11-0, while the Spartans dropped to 0-12.

The Tigers jumped out to a 10-6 lead in the opening set before Sydney McCree ended the run with a kill. Gabrielle Gilbert and Mina Faw followed with back-to-back kills to trim the deficit to 20-14, but Clemson capitalized on a Spartan service error to close out the set 25-19.

Norfolk State responded in the second. Jala Dixon and Gilbert recorded consecutive kills, paired with a Clemson attack error, to give the Spartans a 15-13 lead. Reagan Chisholm and Gilbert combined on a block to extend the margin to 17-13. Faw forced a Clemson timeout with a late kill at 21-17, and McCree sealed the set with another kill for a 25-23 victory.

The Tigers gained an 8-4 early advantage in the third set, before went on a 4-1 run to cut the lead to win with a McCree and Chisholm block. The Tigers continued to capitalize off of NSU mistakes, building a 16-10 advantage. Norfolk State would go on another 4-1 run late in the set, before the Tigers would go on to score the final point of the set and win 25-17.

Clemson carried the momentum into the fourth, racing to an 11-4 start. A 9-1 run gave the Tigers a 22-9 cushion before Gilbert added a late kill. Clemson finished the frame 25-11 to clinch the match.

The Spartans hit .281 and .275 in the first two sets, outhitting Clemson in the second (.196). NSU also led in blocks 10-7, while Clemson held the advantage in digs 62-52.

Gilbert paced the Spartans with 18 kills, while Faw added six. McCree tallied 25 assists, and Mya Wood and Paula Sigurani recorded 15 digs apiece.

Norfolk State returns home on Tuesday, Sept. 23 at 6 p.m., for its home opener against Hampton in the "Battle of the Bay" at Gill Gymnasium. Tickets are available here.

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