GREENSBORO, N.C. – Norfolk State played its worst match of the season statistically, allowing North Carolina A&T to down the Spartan volleyball team by a 3-0 margin on Tuesday night in a non-conference matchup at Moore Gymnasium.
 
NSU had just 20 kills with 28 attack errors, a -.091 hitting percentage, in falling 25-18, 25-23 and 25-22 to the Aggies. N.C. A&T, meanwhile, also had 28 attack errors but hit slightly better at .024.
 
Junior Clarke Tyler led the Spartans with seven kills and five blocks. NSU (3-13) had nine blocks as a team, one less than A&T's total of 10.
 
NSU nearly came back to win the second set after A&T had won six straight early on to build a 12-5 lead. Tyler and sophomore Lexi Brown blocked an A&T attack to close out a 9-3 run, forcing an Aggie timeout with their lead down to just one, 15-14. After A&T won the next four, NSU again made a comeback. Sparked by three kills from Tyler, the Spartans used an 8-3 run to tie the score at 22-all.
 
The Aggies (5-9) then won three of the last four points of the set for a 2-0 lead in the match.
 
The Spartans kept it going in the third set, winning the first five points, which included two straight service aces from junior Melvina Brown. The Spartans stretched the lead to 11-6 after a later 5-1 spurt, but the tide turned toward N.C. A&T from there on out. An 8-3 run for the Aggies tied the set, although NSU still led by two at 19-17 after another kill from Tyler.
 
A couple of blocks for the Aggies capped a 4-0 run for a 21-19 lead, and they later won four of the last five points of the stanza to complete the match.
 
The contest started off okay for the Spartans, who had three blocks during a 5-1 run to tie it up at 8-8. From there, though, the Aggies won 14 of the next 20 points for an eight-point edge. Melvina Brown had two service aces during a short run for NSU, but the hole was too deep for the Spartans to gain the early edge in the match.
 
Brown had four of her squad's five service aces with a team-high seven digs. Lexi Brown added four blocks, and senior Jessica Johnson tallied six kills.
 
Samara Brown led the Aggies with 11 kills. Jasmine Lindor contributed six blocks, and Keniah Rivera had a match-high 13 digs. N.C. A&T held an overall 37-25 edge in digs.
 
NSU will host Howard on Sunday at 3 p.m. in Gill Gymnasium.