NORFOLK, Va. – Paola Matos and Shonte Seale each put down 13 kills to lift Norfolk State to its first MEAC volleyball victory of the season, 3-1 over Coppin State on Friday night. The Spartans dropped the first set 25-14, but rallied to win the next three sets by scores of 25-15, 25-14, 25-16.

Matos did not commit an error in her 19 swings for a .684 hitting percentage. Seale hit .310 and added seven digs for the Spartans (5-11, 1-4 MEAC), who snapped their five-match losing streak overall and seven-match skid against the Eagles (8-8, 2-2).

The Spartans got off to a slow start, committing eight attack errors while CSU hit .214. Reigning MEAC Player of the Year Miajavon Coleman had four kills for the Eagles in the opening set.

But the Spartans turned the momentum around in set 2. CSU had four early errors in the set, with the last coming thanks to a block by Seale and Gracie Teeter, as the Spartans scored five of the first six points of the set. Setter Caris Cross notched three kills midway through the set as NSU extended its lead to 17-6.

Set 3 was tied early at 4 apiece before NSU went on an 11-2 run. The spurt included kills by five different players: Seale, Teeter, Matos, Paola Maradei and Rachel Williams. Seale recorded three more kills later in the set and Matos finished it off with one of her own.

Set 4 was again tight early, but NSU used a 7-2 surge midway through to take control. Teeter had a pair of kills and combined with Matos on a block of Coleman to put the Spartans ahead 18-10. Williams had three kills late in the set to clinch the win for the Spartans, who last beat Coppin State in 2016.

Williams contributed seven kills and eight digs while Teeter had five kills and five block assists for NSU. Cross handed out 36 assists and also chipped in with four kills. Nicole Rodriguez led the Spartans with 12 digs. NSU also had eight total blocks as a team and held the Eagles to a .075 hitting percentage.

The Spartans continue their home weekend with a 1 p.m. match Sunday against Morgan State at Gill Gym.