Spartan Volleyball

NSU at Howard

Friday, Oct. 28

Burr Gymnasium

NORFOLK, Va. – The Norfolk State volleyball team makes one of its most difficult trips yet this year when the Spartans travel to Howard on Friday to take on the league-leading Bison. First serve from Burr Gymnasium in Washington, D.C. is set for 6 p.m.
 
Following a tough weekend at home in addition to a difficult match on Tuesday at VCU, NSU will look to rebound against what has been the most complete team in the MEAC the last few years. The Bison currently stand undefeated in conference play at 8-0 as well as 19-5 overall.
 
The Spartans dropped a pair of 3-2 contests to Coppin State and Morgan State last weekend and also fell to VCU in a non-conference match on Tuesday, 3-0, to fall to 6-16 overall and 4-4 in MEAC play. Friday's match will also be the first of two straight against Howard for NSU.
 
Now having to play Howard twice, NSU faces a critical stretch in its quest to make the MEAC tournament. The Bison and UMES (6-2) have first and second place locked down at the moment, with Morgan State (5-3) solidly in third. NSU and Hampton (4-5) are in contention for the fourth and final Northern Division spot.
 
NSU still has a match at UMES and its home finale versus Hampton left in addition to two contests against Howard. The Pirates also must face Howard as well as last place Delaware State (0-8) before taking on the Spartans. The Nov. 6 matchup between NSU and Hampton could very well decide which team gets the fourth and final spot in the tournament.
 
Khaila Donaldson has been a big part of Howard's offense, as she leads the way with 4.05 kills per set to go along with 2.41 digs. Two other players, Courtney Dalton (2.27 kills) and Jessica Young (2.05 kills), also provide some offense under the direction of setter Tamia Dockery (9.94 assists). Then on defense, Olubunmi Okunade (1.28 blocks) and Morgan Marlbrough (4.17 digs) have led the way.
 
The Bison lead the league in hitting percentage (.225), opponent hitting percentage (.134), kills (12.65), assists (11.70) and blocks (2.14) while ranking second in digs (14.49) and fourth in service aces (1.43).
 
NSU counters with senior Jessica Johnson (3.82 kills), who has led the team in kills in all but two matches this year. Senior Dominique Parker (1.82 kills) and junior Clarke Tyler (1.43) have also done plenty of heavy lifting on offense next to setter Jill Aquino (7.33 assists per set).
 
Johnson also ranks second on the team with 1.96 digs. Tyler leads all players with 0.66 blocks, and junior Melvina Brown is tops with 3.76 digs and 22 total service aces.
 
MEAC Rankings
The upcoming matchup features the MEAC's two most productive hitters in Howard's Donaldson (4.05 kills per set) and NSU's Johnson, who ranks second with 3.82 kills. They also rank 1-2 in points per set (4.70 and 4.10, respectively). Brown stands fifth in the league in digs (3.76) and 10^th in service aces (0.33), while Aquino finds herself fourth in assists at 7.33.
 
NSU still holds down the No. 3 spot in the league in service aces per set (1.56). In the rest of the categories, the Spartans go sixth in opponent hitting percentage (.206), seventh in hitting percentage (.120), kills (9.78), assists (8.97) and digs (12.05) and 11^th in blocks (1.29).
 
National Rankings
NSU stands 33^rd in the nation (out of 329 teams) in aces per set at 1.56. On an individual basis, Johnson ranks 51^st in attacks per set (10.82), 70^th in kills (3.82) and 107^th in points per set (4.10). Brown also appears in the national leadership at 131^st in aces per set (0.33).
 
Reaching for 1,000
Johnson currently has 952 kills and has at least four matches left (at least five if NSU reaches the MEAC tournament) to become the second player ever at NSU to top 1,000 along with Charlotte Armstead. Johnson already has 298 for the year, good for the sixth most in school history. She needs 10 to pass the fifth and fourth place holders, as well as 31 and 35 to pass third and second place, respectively.
 
More Tidbits
On Tuesday at VCU, Johnson passed Armstead for the NSU all-time record for attacks. Johnson now has 2,713 after passing Armstead's previous NSU record of 2,712. With 844 attacks so far this year, Johnson is on pace to surpass Armstead's season record of 912.
 
Johnson is averaging 3.82 kills per set, which would easily be the best by a Spartan player. Angie Darcus set the current NSU record of 3.23 kills last year in her final season.
 
Series History
Howard has won six in a row over NSU, sweeping the Spartans each of the last three years, to improve to 16-5 all-time against Norfolk State.
 
Up Next
The Spartans will turn right back around and host Howard next Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Gill Gymnasium. The match was postponed from earlier in the season due to flooding from Hurricane Matthew.