Weekend Schedule
Friday: vs. Morgan State, 6 p.m. (Gill Gymnasium)
Sunday: at Coppin State, 3 p.m.
Live Stats (Morgan State match only)
Live Video (Morgan State match only)
NORFOLK, Va. – With only five conference matches left for the Norfolk State volleyball team, the race for the Northern Division's last three spots in the MEAC tournament heats up this weekend. NSU will take on Morgan State Friday at home followed by a road contest at Coppin State on Sunday.
NSU's match with the Bears on Friday will be held at 6 p.m. in Gill Gymnasium, as Homecoming festivities have pushed the Spartans out of their normal home court of Joseph Echols Hall. The contest at Coppin State on Sunday will begin at 3 p.m.
Live stats and live video will be available for the match against Morgan State in Gills. Neither will be available for the Coppin State match.
At 3-4 in the conference and 7-12 overall, NSU sits just outside the top 4 in the Northern Division, and only those top four teams advance to the MEAC tournament. The Spartans sit at fifth in the standings, directly behind Howard at 3-3. Hampton and Morgan State both stand 4-3 in conference play, with UMES comfortably at the top of the standings at 7-0. Delaware State (2-5) and Coppin State (1-6) round out the Northern Division standings.
Morgan State plays at Hampton on Sunday, while the Pirates play at Coppin State on Friday. Howard gets a home weekend against UMES and Delaware State. After this weekend, NSU has Howard, UMES and Delaware State left on the docket.
From an offensive standout, NSU brings a balanced attack with junior Charlotte Armstead (2.84 kills per set), junior Beatriz Ferreira (2.66) and freshman Adriana Ramos (2.39), with senior Jasmine Frazier also chipping in with 1.80 kills. Junior Kristen Burt has averaged 8.76 assists, with Frazier leading the way with 0.26 service aces.
Armstead also ranks as one of the team's best defenders with 0.77 blocks per set, followed by Frazier at 0.57 blocks. Senior Tracey Copley has a team-leading 2.99 digs, with Burt (1.99), Ramos (1.93), junior Megan Lavo (1.57) and junior Paige Gary-Canty (1.44) also adding to the team's MEAC-leading dig total.
Senior Night
NSU will honor its three seniors – Nicole Kessner, Frazier and Copley – on Nov. 4 prior to the team's 6 p.m. match against Howard at Joseph Echols Hall. In the Spartans' last home match of 2011, the team will celebrate the accomplishments of its three oldest players who have helped lay the foundation for a program turnaround.
MEAC Rankings
Armstead ranks sixth in hitting percentage at .250 and eighth overall in the MEAC in kills with 2.84 per set, while Burt is the highest-ranked Spartan, as she sits fourth in assists (8.76). Copley ranks ninth in digs with 2.99.
As a team, NSU still leads in digs at 13.20 per set, while also ranking second in opponent hitting percentage (.177), third in kills (11.51), fourth in assists (10.49) and blocks (1.57), and seventh in service aces (1.21) and hitting percentage (.139).
Marked Improvements
Despite suffering numerous setbacks on the injury front, NSU continues to outperform its 2010 version. So far in 2011, NSU has more kills (11.5-11.0) than last year, as well as more assists (10.4-10.0), digs (13.2-12.8), and blocks (1.57-1.30). The Spartans also have fewer service errors (2.33-2.40), a better hitting percentage (.139-.117), and are allowing fewer service aces (1.3-1.6).
About Morgan State
The Bears have turned things around after opening the conference season with a 3-2 win at Coppin State and then three straight losses to Delaware State, UMES and Howard. Morgan State stands 4-3 in conference play following three straight 3-0 wins against Hampton, Coppin State and NSU, all at home, with a 6-17 overall record.
Morgan State does not overwhelm you on the stat sheet, but the Bears do have a balanced offense, led by everyday players Ashley Johnson (1.93 kills per set), Kierra Outlin (1.71), Janelle Wilson (1.49) and Nangeeshie Plaud (1.40). Natalie Chafeh (6.92 assists) and Outlin (0.29 service aces) lead the team in their respective categories, while Erin Cox (3.16 digs), Outlin (2.38 digs) and Wilson (0.69 blocks) rank as the team's best defenders.
About Coppin State
The Eagles owns a 5-18 overall record, including 1-6 in conference play, with a five-set win over Delaware State accounting for the MEAC victory. Coppin State most recently defeated North Carolina A&T on Sunday, one of just two wins over the last 12 matches for the Eagles.
Ariel Richard paces the offense with 2.90 kills and 0.43 service aces per set, with Janka Schmitt (1.72 kills, 0.31 service aces), Christina Epps (1.64 kills), and Salena Weekly (1.55 kills) also providing support. Kristine Bindule averages 7.14 assists to go along with 0.32 service aces. Gabrielle Otero leads the way with 3.61 digs, with Richard second at 2.25. Weekly is easily the team's top blocker with 0.89 blocks per set.
Up Next
NSU will play its last non-conference match of the season at James Madison next Wednesday at 6 p.m. before returning for Senior Night two days later.
