BALTIMORE, Md. – The Norfolk State volleyball team rebounded from a tough loss two days earlier to defeat Morgan State on Sunday afternoon by a 3-0 score at the Hill Field House.
 
Junior Anna Rupertova carried the NSU offense to the tune of 16 kills while hitting .351. The Spartans won the first two sets 25-18 and 25-19 before needing a few extra points to finish off the sweep in the third set, 28-26.
 
Junior Bojana Bolozan had nine kills on 11 swings with four blocks, helping the Spartans hit .209. They also limited MSU to an attack percentage of .047
 
With the win, the Spartans improved to 3-14 overall and 2-5 in the MEAC. Morgan State fell to 4-3 in the league as well as 12-12 overall.
 
Rupertova had five kills in each of the first two sets, as NSU pulled ahead early both times. In the opening set, it was a 10-3 lead to start for the Spartans, who eventually went up by eight at 16-8 on a block by Bolozan. Later on, the Bears got to within four before kills from Bolozan and sophomore Quiana Griffin and a service ace from sophomore Taylor Eichelberger ended things.
 
The Spartans also won four of the first five points of the second set, and later a 7-1 run again gave them a 16-8 advantage. And once again, the Bears were able to rally late in the set, scoring five in a row to make it 21-19. But after NSU used its second timeout of the set three serves after using its first, Eichelberger's kill, two errors on the Bears, and Bolozan's solo block put the Spartans up 2-0.
 
But it was Morgan State that had the early edge in the third set, forcing an NSU timeout up 8-6. The Spartans won the next three points, and back and forth the teams went from there. Eventually, Norfolk State won five of six points for a 20-18 lead, forcing Morgan State to call time.
 
It was MSU's turn to jump ahead, as NSU called timeout down 22-21. Kills from Griffin and Rupertova came over the next three serves, all won by the Spartans. Up 24-22, however, NSU lost the next three points to Morgan State.
 
Rupertova's kill held off set serve by the Bears, and a block from Eichelberger and sophomore Jannel Ezeagwu made it 26-25. Morgan State then held off set serve, but one more error on the Bears and a service ace from freshman Brenna Ankrum completed the sweep.
 
Morgan State committed 23 attack errors on the afternoon. Zoe McBride led the way with 11 kills and 12 digs.
 
Ezeagwu and Griffin each had five kills, and Ankrum had 13 digs.
 
The Spartans will play at Hampton on Tuesday before hosting Maryland Eastern Shore next Friday at Gill Gymnasium.