Box Score NORFOLK, Va. – Riding a huge wave of momentum early in the match, the Norfolk State volleyball team had UMES, the top dog in the MEAC, on the ropes in a raucous atmosphere at Gill Gymnasium.

It was not to be, though, as the Hawks overcame a 2-0 deficit and survived two NSU match-point serves in the fifth set for a 3-2 victory Friday night.

Chalk it up to nerves on the part of the Hawks for playing in a tight gym, NSU's stellar play, or something else, but the Spartans had the early control in the match. NSU won 25-16, 25-17, but UMES came out swinging following the 10-minute intermission. The Hawks won the third set easily, 25-12, before a 25-20 fourth-set victory.

The Spartans jumped out to an early 4-0 lead in the fifth set before UMES rallied to take a three-point lead. NSU turned things around and got to within one point of the win, 14-12. But the Hawks dashed the Spartans' hopes, surviving to tie it up and then winning in extra points, 18-16.

The loss dropped NSU to 12-19 overall and 8-3 in MEAC play. UMES won its 23rd straight conference match and improved to 25-4, 11-0 on the year. The Spartans dropped into a tie for second in the MEAC Northern Division with Hampton, which also sits at 8-3. An NSU victory over Delaware State or a Hampton loss to UMES on Sunday will clinch the No. 2 seed for the Spartans in the MEAC tournament.

Saitaua Iosia carried the UMES offense to the tune of 24 kills on a .327 attack percentage with 13 digs and four service aces. On the Spartan side, senior Charlotte Armstead posted 17 kills, while junior Coralie Jarema joined her in double figures with 10, all in the first two sets.

Junior Goda Jankauskaite and freshman Jessica Johnson each added eight kills. Johnson also added 11 digs, while redshirt sophomore Noelle Eagles had a match-high 16.

The teams had very similar numbers on offense, as NSU hit .243 with 59 kills, while UMES attacked at a .268 clip with 62 kills.

Several kills from Jankauskaite and Armstead gave NSU an early lead to start play, but UMES clawed back and took a two point lead, 9-7. Down by two a little later at 14-12, NSU then swung momentum in the other direction with a 9-0 run. Jarema had three kills during that time, and another kill from Jarema and a service ace from redshirt sophomore Adriana Ramos finished a 4-0 run to close the set.

Senior Beatriz Ferreira started the second set off with a pair of kills, and the Spartans used an extended 12-4 run to grab a 14-6 lead. Jarema added three more kills during that time. Freshman Darcy Moore got the NSU advantage into double digits, 20-10, when she capped a 6-2 run with a service ace. After Ramos added a service ace for a 23-13 advantage, UMES scored four straight points before kills from sophomore Jasmin Flowers and Johnson finished the set.

The Hawks caught fire after the break, jumping out to an 11-4 lead in the third set. UMES hit .615 in the set and only once allowed NSU to score two points in a row. In the fourth set, the Hawks went up by three, 9-6, before the Spartans made a comeback.

Eventual back-to-back attack errors on Iosia put NSU up by one, 14-13. UMES called timeout when Ferreira's kill gave the Spartans a 17-14 advantage. The Hawks, though, used a 5-1 run to go up by one, 20-19. Armstead tied the score at 20-all on the next serve, but UMES won the last five points to force the final act.

Then in the fifth set, Johnson had two service aces as NSU won the first four points. An 8-1 run put the Hawks in control with a 10-7 lead. The Spartans responded, and Armstead had a kill and a solo block to finish a 6-1 run for NSU.

Down 14-12 at that point, Iosia saved the match for UMES with a kill, and the Spartans were called for a backrow attack to tie it at 14-14. The Spartans twice went to Armstead to hold off UMES match point, but Iosia had one last kill and an error on NSU finished the deal for the Hawks.

Moore had 22 assists for NSU, while redshirt senior Nicole Kessner totaled 24.

Maline Vaitai had 16 kills for UMES, and Jessica Vicic had 54 assists and eight digs. Corey Haynes posted six blocks as UMES had an 11.5-7.0 advantage in blocks for the match.

The Spartans finish out the regular season Sunday at Joseph Echols Hall against Delaware State at 3 p.m. The match will also serve as Senior Day for five graduating players: Kessner, Armstead, Ferreira, Maatra Henderson and Kristen Burt.