Home Volleyball This Weekend

Friday	NSU vs. Coppin State	6 p.m.	Live Stats	Live Video
Sunday	NSU vs. Morgan State	3 p.m.	Live Stats	Live Video

NORFOLK, Va. – Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference play begins this weekend when the Norfolk State volleyball team hosts Coppin State and Morgan State at Joseph Echols Hall.
 
NSU will take on Coppin State on Friday at 6 p.m., followed by a contest against Morgan State on Sunday at 3 p.m. Both live stats and a live video feed will be available for both matches.
 
The Spartans will look to begin MEAC play on the right foot after going 1-12 during non-conference play. Coppin State won two of its three matches last weekend to improve its record to 3-8 on the year. Morgan State carries a 3-11 record into its Friday night match at Hampton. This Friday will mark the start of conference play for every team in the MEAC.
 
Scouting NSU
The Spartans dropped a 3-2 contest to North Carolina Central last weekend at the JMU Invitational and also got swept by Georgetown and the host Dukes. NSU hit a season-best .216 against N.C. Central with season highs of 67 kills and 84 digs. Senior Angie Darcus led the way with 16 kills. She leads the way with 2.88 kills per set as well as 13 service aces.
 
Senior Darcy Moore has directed traffic with 7.45 assists, with sophomores Hope Forsythe (1.80 kills) and Clarke Tyler (1.67) adding some offensive punch. Tyler (0.46 blocks) and junior Dominique Parker (0.59) have given NSU a lift on defense. Junior Alex Irizarry has posted a team-best 3.14 digs, with both Moore (2.59) and Darcus (2.06) also playing a key role in the backcourt defense.
 
As a team, the Spartans have the edge in digs per set (13.45-13.04), although opponents have the advantage in service aces (2.24-1.20) and blocks (2.35-1.08).
 
Around the MEAC
Thanks to an 11-2 overall record, UMES moves into the No. 1 spot in the conference when it comes to the title favorite. Four other teams have three wins apiece, while four schools still remain winless on the season, including Hampton.
 
In the North, NSU and Hampton host CSU and MSU this weekend, while Howard plays at UMES and Delaware State.
 
MEAC Rankings
Moore is the highest ranked Spartan in the conference, sitting at seventh in assists at 7.45 per set. Darcus ranks eighth in points (3.27) and ninth in kills (2.88), while Parker (ninth in service aces, 0.30) and Irizarry (10^th in digs, 3.14) also stand in the top 10 in league stats.
 
As a team, NSU is ranked highest in service aces (1.20 per set) and sixth in both opponent hitting percentage (.246) and digs (13.45). The Spartans also sit ninth in assists (9.16), 10^th in kills (9.78) and hitting percentage (.102) and 12^th in blocks (1.08).
 
Series History
A pair of wins last year for Coppin State put the Eagles back in front in the all-time series, 12-11. Morgan State and NSU split their two meetings last season, although the Bears still lead by a 16-6 edge.
 
About the Opponents
Coppin State downed Fordham by a 3-1 score and St. Francis, 3-2, last weekend for plenty of momentum heading into conference play. CSU's offense runs through Cindy Okpegbue, who tallies 3.29 kills per set, and setter Chelsee Sauni (8.53 assists). Kendra Ireigbe (2.03 kills, .289 attack percentage) and Samantha Polk (1.94) also chip in on offense.
 
Glorines Rosado paces the way with 4.53 digs per set, followed by Okpegbue (2.50) and Bailee Jackson (2.25). Ireigbe also adds 1.08 blocks per set for a squad that has outblocked its opponents, 1.66-1.38. The Eagles are at a disadvantage when it comes to service aces though, 2.05 per set for opponents compared to 0.92 for CSU.
 
Morgan State owns victories over Chicago State, Fordham and Loyola (Md.) on the year, thanks in part to Keana Browne (2.76 kills per set) and Arianna Hayden (2.61). After missing the first few weeks of the season, Evely Macedo entered the lineup and is now averaging a team-best 3.00 kills. Carmen Fernandez has tallied a season-best 18 service aces with 7.81 assists per set.
 
Monette Daniels has contributed 0.46 blocks for a team that averages just 1.31 per set. Samantha Prescott leads the way in backcourt defense with 3.40 digs. As a team, the Bears tally close to 10 and a half kills per set while hitting .139.
 
Up Next
NSU will take a trip to UMES on Oct. 2 for the Spartans' first road MEAC match of the season.