Box Score WASHINGTON, D.C. – Khaila Donaldson finished with a match-high 11 kills to lead Howard to a 3-0 win over the Norfolk State volleyball team on Sunday afternoon at Burr Gymnasium.
 
The first-place Bison earned the sweep by winning 25-15, 25-20 and 25-19. They improved their MEAC record to 5-1, remaining one of three teams in the Northern Division with just one loss. Howard also ran its overall record to 8-13.
 
Junior Dominique Parker hit .318 with nine kills and two blocks to lead the Spartans (1-15 overall, 0-3 MEAC). Senior Angie Darcus added eight kills for an NSU squad that hit .028 compared to a .241 attack percentage for Howard.
 
Three straight kills by senior Darcy Moore, sophomore Clarke Tyler and junior Sydney Dailey gave the Spartans a 7-6 lead to start the match. After Howard called timeout, the Bison built their lead to 11-8 and then used an 8-2 run for an eight-point advantage. An error on the Spartans gave Howard the final 10-point win of the opening stanza.
 
Parker and Darcus broke a tie in the second set with a block to put NSU up by one, 7-6. The Spartans fought back after a 5-1 Howard run, tying it at 12-all on a block by Tyler and sophomore Hope Forsythe. The Bison scored six of the next seven points and went ahead a little later by a 21-15 margin. Three kills by Parker helped the Spartans eventually get to within three before Howard closed it out.
 
NSU had plenty of momentum in the third stanza after the 10-minute intermission. Aided by three kills from Darcus, several Howard errors and two straight service aces by Moore to close it out, NSU outscored Howard 12-6 to begin the set. After a Bison timeout, though, they won seven straight and 11 of the next 12 points to extend their lead to 17-13.
 
NSU used it second timeout after that point and was able to get to within one at 19-18 after Howard committed three straight errors. The Bison won six of the last seven points of the set to prevent the match from continuing to a fourth.
 
The Bison held a 9-4 edge in blocks and a 47-31 advantage in digs. Bison libero Morgan Marlbrough had 15 digs to lead all players, while Dominique Cleggett and Katherine Broussard each added five blocks.
 
Moore finished with 24 assists and junior Alex Irizarry led the Spartans with 11 digs.
 
NSU returns home to face Hampton in the Battle of the Bay next Friday at 6 p.m. at Joseph Echols Hall.