NORFOLK, Va. – Coppin State got conference play started off on the right foot when the Eagles defeated the Norfolk State volleyball team on Friday night at NSU's Gill Gymnasium, 3-1.
 
The Eagles got a balanced effort on offense and won the last three sets after NSU had taken an early lead. Following that 25-21 Spartan victory in the first set, CSU triumphed in the last three sets, 25-16, 25-16 and 25-23.
 
Senior Clarke Tyler had a big match for NSU, hitting .450 with 11 kills, four digs and three blocks. The Spartans, though, committed 16 service errors in falling to 3-11 overall and 0-1 in the MEAC.
 
Coppin State (1-16, 1-0 MEAC) got nine kills apiece from Asia Stennis and Valiyah Barnes. Three other Eagle players also had at least six kills on the night. Stennis had 12 digs as well, one of four players in double figures.
 
The match really turned during a big stretch in the second set, when NSU was primed to really jump ahead. The Spartans got kills from four different players to take an 8-6 lead. But thanks in part to solid serving from Marlena Guice, Coppin State won nine straight points for a 15-8 advantage.
 
The Eagles extended it to as much as 20-9 before it was all said and done.
 
That came after NSU had rallied from a 9-7 deficit in the first set. The Spartans clawed back but still trailed by two after CSU won three in a row for a 17-15 advantage. Thanks in part to several errors on the Eagles, the Spartans won eight of the next 10 points. Freshman Quiana Griffin capped it with a kill for a 23-19 lead.
 
Despite going on to win that opening set, Norfolk State could not keep it going. The Spartans fell behind by a 10-5 score in the third set, and a closing 8-2 run for CSU broke it open.
 
The fourth set featured much back and forth, with NSU pulling ahead again by an 8-6 score. The Eagles turned right around and built a 14-10 edge before several kills from Tyler and senior Hope Forsythe sparked another rally. NSU led 20-18 there in the fourth stanza, but Coppin State used Guice's serve and then a solo block by her at the end to close out the match.
 
Forsythe had six kills with 17 digs.
 
The Eagles got 18 from Glorines Rosado, part of a 67-56 advantage they held in digs against the Spartans. Barnes also added five blocks.
 
NSU will host Morgan State on Sunday at 3 p.m. to close out the opening weekend of conference play.