DOVER, Del. – Norfolk State volleyball's season came to a close on Friday afternoon, falling 3-0 to Maryland Eastern Shore in the MEAC Tournament Quarterfinals.
 
The Hawks, who had lost twice to NSU during the regular season, won the third matchup 26-24, 27-25, 25-16. The Spartans finished the 2022 campaign 7-18 overall, 7-7 in the MEAC, their most conference wins since 2013. The team also saw three players earn postseason All-MEAC honors, the first time in program history that has occurred in a single season.
 
"It was a great season and I'm proud of the girls for everything they accomplished overall as a team," Norfolk State head coach Kathy Bullock said. "We will be back and better next season."
 
Carla Hernandez led the Spartans with nine kills on the day, adding four digs. Sydney McCree posted 13 assists, while Nicole Rodriguez recorded 13 digs.
 
Despite the result, the Spartans and Hawks battled back-and-forth the entire match. Both the first and second set took extra points for a team to win by two, neither squad giving anything away without a fight.
 
Shonte Seale provided Norfolk State's first kill of the game, tying the opening set at five, before Adlene Jideofor got on the board moments later. Jideofor finished the match with an efficient six kills on seven attacks, hitting at a .857 rate.
 
After Sophia Chacon gave UMES a 20-16 lead, Raquel Lightbourn put away a McCree pass, starting a 6-1 run for the Spartans. Alondra Hernandez served back-to-back aces to tie the game at 21.
 
Carla Hernandez and Paola Maradei notched kills for the Spartans, who eventually tied the set at 24, but two straight Hawks attacks ended the set 26-24.
 
Trailing 13-10 in the second game, Norfolk State again showed resilience, winning three straight points to even up the set. Seale fueled the run with a block alongside Maradei, a kill, and another block shared by Lightbourn.
 
The Hawks capitalized on multiple NSU errors to regain control of the set. A UMES ace made the score 23-20, but an errant serve gave Norfolk State a chance and the Spartans took advantage. The Spartans used a 5-1 burst to earn set point at 25-24.
 
UMES responded quickly, though, as Sydney Morris tied the set back up, before back-to-back kills from Ikemefuna Nkemjika gave the Hawks a 2-0 lead in the match.
 
Norfolk State received a boost off the bench early in the third set, as Sofie Langer tallied a kill and three assists in the first five points of the game. Four consecutive UMES errors helped NSU take a 9-8 lead, but the Hawks used an 11-3 run to put themselves in striking position.
 
Jideofor's sixth and final kill of the match cut the deficit to seven late, but UMES put away the next two points with successful attacks, advancing the Hawks to the MEAC Semifinals.
 
As a team, the Spartans finished the match with 29 kills, posting their best hitting percentage (.207) during the first set. Norfolk State had its best defensive showing of the afternoon in the second set, holding the Hawks to a .098 hitting percentage.