Box Score

MACON, Ga. – On the second day of the Mercer Bear Brawl, the Norfolk State volleyball team fell to host Mercer, 3-0, at the University Center gym in the first weekend of play for the 2011 Spartans.

The Bears won, 25-22, 25-19, 25-18, to improve to 1-6 on the season. NSU fell to 0-3 with the loss after opening its 2011 season with a pair of matches Friday afternoon.

Senior Jasmine Frazier led the Spartans with 11 kills and three blocks, while junior Charlotte Armstead added eight kills. Sophomore Noelle Eagles and junior Megan Lavo each totaled 12 digs, while junior Kristen Burt tallied a double-double with 21 assists and 10 digs.

Frazier was named to the all-tournament team following the conclusion of play on Saturday.

The Spartans attacked at a .106 clip for the match but were unable to hold down the Bears, who hit a collective .227. Mercer also held the advantage in blocks, 7-5.

Both teams played even early on in the first set, but three straight kills by Frazier and a service ace from freshman Adriana Ramos made it 10-6 in favor of NSU. The Bears chipped away at the lead, scoring five of six points at one stretch before taking the lead at 13-12. NSU did not go away, as junior Beatriz Ferreira slammed down a kill to tie things at 15-15. Burt's service ace put the score at 22-20, but the Spartans got no closer as the Tigers went on to win, 25-22.

Mercer grabbed a 4-1 lead to start the second set, and after NSU got to within two at 8-6 on an attack error by the Bears, Mercer scored seven of the next eight points for a commanding 15-7 lead. Three straight points by the Spartans, capped by a service ace from Frazier, cut the deficit to five at 17-12. A short time later, the Bears won five straight points for a 24-15 lead. Kills by Ferreira and junior Paige Gary-Canty kept NSU alive, but Jennifer Katona threw down a kill to give Mercer the 25-19 second-set win.

NSU was forced to call an early timeout in the third set when the Bears took a 7-1 lead to begin play. Back-to-back kills by Frazier ended a 4-0 run for the Spartans that cut the deficit to two, 7-5. NSU got to within one at 11-10 on a service ace from Frazier, but Mercer slowly pulled away, taking a six-point lead at 18-12. Frazier again came through with a clutch kill to pull NSU within three at 19-16, but Mercer won six of the next eight points to earn the third-set win, 25-18.

Amiee Frutchey led the Bears with 11 kills, and Jamie Duffy and Charlotte Harris added 17 and 15 digs, respectively. Madeline Dolny (18 assists) and Monica Sanchez (15 assists) split time at setter for Mercer.

The Spartans will look for their first win of the season next weekend at the Maddie Bingaman Tournament at UMBC. NSU will face Fairleigh Dickinson Friday at 4 p.m. before playing Youngstown State and UMBC Saturday.