WASHINGTON, D.C. – Three Coppin State players reached double figures in kills as the Eagles spoiled Norfolk State's first MEAC Tournament appearance in five years Friday with a 3-0 win over the Spartans in the quarterfinals at Howard's Burr Gymnasium. The set scores were 25-21, 25-12, 25-21.
The Spartans played the third-seeded Eagles tight in sets one and three, but fell short in their bid for their first MEAC Tournament win since 2012. Paola Caten led CSU with 13 kills, Miajavon Coleman had 11 and Chudear Tut 10.
CSU opened the match by scoring the first five points, but the Spartans embarked on a 6-1 run to tie things up. In all, there were five ties and two lead-changes in the first set. The Spartans took their first lead of the night at 16-15 after a block by
Kendra McRuffin and
Shonte Seale. Seale later put NSU in front one more time at 17-16 with one of her eight kills.
But the Eagles scored three straight points and never trailed again in the opening set, taking a 1-0 lead on Coleman's kill on set point.
CSU broke open from a close battle in set two by outscoring the Spartans 17-4 after NSU had forged an 8-all tie. NSU had seven attack errors against just five kills in the set.
The Spartans came out firing in the third set. NSU scored 10 of the first 11 points, with Seale putting down two kills and
Paola Matos posted a pair of aces. But Caten helped the Eagles rally, notching four kills in an 8-1 CSU run that later tied the set at 19-all.
NSU held a 21-20 advantage after an Eagle error, but CSU scored the final five points of the set to finish off the match. Tut recorded two kills before Caten finished it with her 13
th and final kill of the night.
Seale posted eight kills and eight digs to pace the Spartans.
Rachel Williams had six kills and eight digs.
Paola Maradei (four) and Matos (three) combined for seven aces for NSU. But the Spartans hit just .051 with 21 kills against 16 errors for the match.
The Spartans' season ends at 8-18. The eight wins are NSU's most since the 2013 team recorded 11, and NSU is scheduled to lose just two seniors from this year's team.