This Weekend

Friday	NSU at Hampton	6 p.m.	Live Stats
Sunday	NSU at Coppin State	3 p.m.

NORFOLK, Va. – The Norfolk State volleyball team will look to put the non-conference season behind it as the Spartans kick off conference play this weekend on the road at Hampton and Coppin State.
 
NSU will take on the rival Pirates on Friday at 6 p.m. at HU's Holland Hall. The matchup at Coppin State will begin at 3 p.m. on Sunday at CSU's Physical Education Complex.
 
Live stats will be available for the matchup at Hampton.
 
The Spartans will be searching for their first win of the year after going 0-12 during the first four weeks of the season at various tournaments. Hampton, selected to win the Northern Division in the MEAC preseason poll, stands 5-8 on the year after dropping its last six matches. Coppin State, also vying for the conference title, owns a 6-7 record on the year heading into its Friday matchup at Morgan State.
 
Road Warriors
After playing four straight tournaments away from home, NSU's road swing continues with the start of MEAC play. The Spartans will play their first three conference games on the road, and when it's all said and done, 17 of the first 18 matches for NSU will be away from Norfolk.
 
The only home contest during that time is Oct. 10 against Howard, a match that will be played in NSU's secondary home, Gill Gymnasium. The Spartans do finish with five of their last six contests at home, though.
 
Catching Fire
Jessica Johnson has stepped up recently on the offensive end, recording double-digit kills in five of the last six matches. Included in there was a career-high 21 kills against Niagara on Sept. 12 and a double-double of 12 kills and 10 digs against Duquesne on Sept. 13. She has led NSU in kills in the last seven contests and in nine of the 12 matches this year.
 
MEAC, National Rankings
Jessica Johnson now ranks fourth in the conference in kills at 3.63 per set as well as fifth in points at 3.87. Darcy Moore stands second in the MEAC in service aces at 0.34 and fourth in assists at 9.54. Senior Kylee Thiim is the only other player in the top 10, sitting at seventh in blocks at 0.74.
 
As a team, NSU ranks third in the league in assists (11.51) and kills (12.05), fourth in service aces (1.29), seventh in hitting percentage (.132) and digs (12.78), ninth in opponent hitting percentage (.252) and 12^th in blocks (1.23).
 
Johnson also ranks in the top 100 in the nation in kills, currently at 87^th. She also ranks 139^th in points, while Moore is at No. 131 in assists per set. As a team, NSU ranks highest nationally in service aces at 156^th. Noelle Eagles, meanwhile, ranks 22^nd among Division I players in career digs with 1,454.

Series History
Hampton owns a 45-12 edge in the all-time series, while NSU has the slight advantage over Coppin State, 11-10.
 
About the Opponents
Hampton continues to be led by MEAC Preseason Player of the Year Vendula Strakova, who averages 5.71 kills and 2.51 digs per set. Krista Kraskura (2.90 kills) and Sonja Maksimovic (2.35 kills) also provide offense, with Kitija Megne directing traffic with 10.96 assists. Kraskura (2.69 digs), Allysa Medina (2.50), Strakova and Megne (2.35) all add to the defensive effort, while Kennedy Kenney leads the way up front with 0.75 blocks.
 
Cindy Okpegbue ranks second in the MEAC and leads the offense for Coppin State with 3.96 kills per set. Ariel Richard also pitches in with 3.08, while Kandace Thomas tallies 2.12 kills as well. Chelsee Sauni averages 10.53 assists and also ranks second in the MEAC. Kendra Ireigbe (0.90 blocks) and the duo of Gabrielle Otero (4.06 digs) and Bailee Jackson (3.33 digs) set the tone for CSU on defense.
 
Up Next
The Spartans will again be on the road when they play at Morgan State on Oct. 3, their only match that weekend.