WASHINGTON, D.C. – The defending league champs proved as much on Friday night at Burr Gymnasium, as Howard hit .298 on the way to a 3-0 win over the Norfolk State volleyball team in a conference match.
 
NSU started the night off with the lead, but the Bison ultimately prevailed in the first set, 25-18. They went on to win the next two sets via scores of 25-13 and 25-15 to stay perfect in the MEAC.
 
Junior Julisa Carrizosa led the Spartans with seven kills and six digs. Coming off its first win of the year, NSU fell to 1-15 overall and 1-6 in the league.
 
Howard got nine kills each from Macy Witt-Nobles and Kira Porter, as well as eight off the hands of both Kailyn Williams and Jurnee Tipton. Winners of the last four league titles, the Bison ran their record this year to 7-0 in the MEAC and 10-11 overall.
 
NSU won six of the first seven points of the first set, and they still led by three at 13-10 after an error on the Bison. But Howard eventually pulled even and then ahead, scoring nine of the last 11 points of the set to finish things off.
 
HU was up 8-3 to start the second, and a later 7-0 run put the Bison ahead by double digits. They were also ahead 9-3 in the third, although senior Bojana Bolozan had a block and a kill to get NSU to within one at 9-8. With the Bison up 12-10, they began to pile up the points on the way to a 10-point final set win.
 
Seniors Anna Rupertova and Halley McKnight and junior Jannel Ezeagwu each had four kills and had a hand in NSU's offense that hit .101 for the night. Bolozan and sophomore Breona Young each finished with five blocks as they held the edge over the Bison in that category, 6-2.
 
HU, meanwhile, piled up 11 aces to two for the Spartans. The Bison finished with a 43-29 advantage in digs as well.
 
NSU will host George Washington on Monday at 6 p.m. in Gill Gymnasium for the last non-conference match of the year.