Box Score
CONWAY, S.C. – Competing at the Coastal Carolina Invitational, the Norfolk State volleyball team was no match for the host Chanticleers in a 3-0 loss Saturday afternoon at Kimbel Arena.
Coastal Carolina earned the sweep by winning 25-12, 25-14, 25-18. The loss dropped NSU's record to 3-7 on the year, while the Chanticleers improved to 4-5.
Freshman Arielle Knafel had five kills to lead the Spartan offense, while freshman Noelle Eagles totaled seven digs. After missing the last three games of the season, junior Nicole Kessner split time at setter with sophomore Kristen Burt. Both players added eight assists on the day.
Erika Lightsey added nine kills to lead Coastal Carolina. Chelsy Kimes and Lindsay Gill had 12 and 11 digs, respectively, while Lauren Alejo and Kelsie Mauck split time at setter. Alejo added 19 assists and Mauck totaled 12.
The Chanticleers played solid on offense, hitting an incredible .406 for the afternoon with just eight attack errors. Coastal Carolina limited NSU to a -.068 clip and held advantages in service aces (7-2) and blocks (5-2).
Junior Jasmine Frazier helped NSU gain an early 3-1 lead to start the match after knocking down a kill and following it up with a service ace. The Chanticleers then took seven of the next eight points to gain an 8-4 lead and never look back.
NSU scored back-to-back points on two separate occasions as the set wore on, but Coastal Carolina won the last six points of the set for the final 25-12 win.
The Spartans called a timeout early in the second set after Coastal Carolina built up an 8-3 lead. The Spartans stayed with the Chanticleers for the next part of the set, as a kill by freshman Mykal Vailu'u got NSU to within four at 12-8.
The Spartans were within four again at 14-10, but Coastal Carolina won the next four points and then never looked back in taking the second set, 25-14.
Down 6-3, NSU again called an early timeout as the third set opened up. A service ace by Eagles capped a 3-0 run a short time later that got the Spartans to within one at 8-7. A kill by Knafel made the score 14-11 midway through the set, but Coastal Carolina took the next three points for a six-point lead and then cruised to a 25-18 win.
After starting out the year 3-2, the Spartans have lost their last five matches, with four of those by a 3-0 margin.
