Box Score
GREENSBORO, N.C. – The Norfolk State volleyball team rebounded from a tough loss earlier in the day as the Spartans downed Morgan State, 3-0, Saturday afternoon in the UNC Greensboro Spiketacular at Fleming Gymnasium.
After dropping a 3-1 decision to host UNCG in the first match of the day, the Spartans did not let the nearly five-hour layoff between matches affect their play against Morgan State, winning 25-19, 25-13, 25-19, over the Bears.
The win improved NSU's record to 5-9 on the year, while Morgan State dropped to 2-12.
Sophomore Charlotte Armstead totaled a match-high nine kills and had three blocks, as did junior Jasmine Frazier, who also added seven kills to the team effort. Freshman Noelle Eagles posted 10 digs, and junior Nicole Kessner had 17 assists.
Dominique Bozier led the Bears with eight kills and three blocks, while Dina Beamon had a match-high 14 digs. Ngebui Chafeh added 14 assists.
Morgan State helped out NSU's cause with 22 attack errors and eight service errors, as the Bears hit .022 for the match. NSU attacked at a .172 clip and also held an advantage in blocks (6-3), digs (41-31), kills (33-24) and service aces (9-4).
Sophomore Ellica Morris was named to the All-Tournament Team after averaging 3.73 kills and 2.27 digs per set, including a career-high 21 kills in the 3-1 win over Gardner-Webb Friday.
Norfolk State did not start the match off on a strong suit, calling timeout after Morgan State took a 6-2 lead early on. A 4-0 run, capped by a kill by Kessner, tied the score at 6-6, and then another 4-0 run a short time later gave NSU the lead for good at 11-8.
An attack error on the Bears got the Spartan lead to six at 17-11 before another kill by Kessner a short time later kept NSU in control at 20-13. NSU called a timeout when Morgan State cut the lead to four at 22-18, but Armstead threw down her fifth kill of the set a few plays later to end the set, 25-19.
A 2-2 tie to start the second set quickly changed in NSU's favor. An Armstead kill sparked a 5-0 run, and then two straight service aces by redshirt sophomore Paige Gary-Canty ended a bigger 10-1 run for the Spartans that gave them a commanding 11-3 lead.
Frazier got the lead to nine a short time later at 14-5, and after NSU found itself up 17-9, another 5-0 run, capped by a service ace by Eagles, gave the Spartans a 22-9 lead. Frazier and Morris teamed up for the block to end the set, 25-13.
The Spartans called a timeout in the third set after a 4-2 lead turned into a 6-4 deficit thanks to several NSU errors. Two serves later, a 7-1 run for the Spartans gave them a 12-8 lead and forced Morgan State to call time. The Bears then chipped away at the lead and got to within one at 17-16 after a Spartan attack error.
Any hopes of a comeback for the Bears were quickly squashed as the Spartans used a 6-1 run near the end of the third set, with all their points coming off kills, to go up, 24-18. Two serves later, a service error on the Bears ended the set, 25-19.
NSU will compete on its home court for the first time since the start of the season as the Spartans host Davidson and Delaware State in the Spartan Invitational next Saturday at Echols Hall.
