Box Score

CONWAY, S.C. – A strong offensive attack propelled The Citadel over the Norfolk State volleyball team, 3-0, Saturday afternoon at the Coastal Carolina Invitational at Kimbel Arena.

The Bulldogs hit .391 for the match in winning 25-11, 25-15, 25-17. The loss dropped NSU to 3-8 on the season, while The Citadel improved its record to 3-8.

For the Spartans, sophomore Charlotte Armstead totaled seven kills to lead the offense. Freshman Noelle Eagles added 11 digs, while redshirt sophomore Paige Gary-Canty contributed seven digs and all three of NSU's service aces. Sophomore Kristen Burt had 16 assists.

Eagles was one of six players among the four teams named to the All-Tournament Team.

Cassie Uribe and Kaona Mercer posted 12 and 11 kills, respectively, for The Citadel. Tatum Jestila had 10 digs, while Erin Bucherl and Alexa Dahlstrom contributed 17 and 15 assists, respectively.

After Coastal Carolina attacked at a .406 clip earlier in the day against the Spartans, the Bulldogs came in and hit .391 with just seven attack errors. The Spartans hit -.093 for the match. The Citadel held a 37-24 advantage in digs, a 7-3 edge in service aces and a 5-1 edge in blocks.

Up 5-3 to begin the first set, the Bulldogs rattled off 10 straight points to build an insurmountable 15-3 lead. NSU scored 4-of-6 points late in the set, but the deficit proved too much as The Citadel took the 25-11 win.

The Spartans got ahead early in the second set, as a kill by sophomore Chynna Blaker put NSU up, 5-2. The lead evaporated as The Citadel won six of the next seven points, for an 8-6 lead. Norfolk State called its second timeout of the set after the Bulldogs went up, 18-10.

The third kill of the set by sophomore Ellica Morris and three straight attack errors on the Bulldogs made it 21-15, but The Citadel scored the last four points of the set for the 25-15 win.

Starting the third set, the Spartans again had an early lead, as two straight service aces by Gary-Canty made it 4-1 early on. NSU held the lead after a kill by Blaker, but another long run by The Citadel, this time a 7-0 run, made it 12-6.

Thanks to three errors on the Bulldogs, the Spartans scored four straight points to cut the lead to two at 13-11, but the Bulldogs responded and took a six-point lead at 18-12. NSU got no closer than four points the rest of the way as The Citadel took the last set, 25-17.

NSU will take to the road for the third straight weekend next week at the UNC Greensboro Spartan Spiketacular beginning Friday against Gardner-Webb.