Orangeburg, S.C. – Norfolk State got its road trip in full swing with a 3-0 victory at South Carolina State, defeating the Bulldogs by scores of 25-17, 25-8, and 25-21 on Friday evening.
 
The result marked the Spartans' second consecutive victory without dropping a set, after taking down Morgan State 3-0 on Sunday. With the win, Norfolk State improved to 7-14 overall, 7-4 in the MEAC.
 
Shonte Seale led the Spartans with 11 kills, followed by Carla Hernandez's seven. Freshman Raquel Lightbourn put together her best performance of the season, posting season-highs in kills (5), points (7.5), and total blocks (3).
 
Making her third start of the year, Sofie Langer tallied 25 assists and six digs. Nicole Rodriguez led the team with 13 digs, adding a trio of assists as well.
 
Making the first start of her collegiate career, Lightbourn wasted no time getting acclimated, recording two kills in the first three points of the match. By the end of the first set, the outside hitter had already matched her career-high kills.
 
A few errors on NSU attacks helped the Bulldogs even the opening game 9-9, but five kills from Seale helped provide the cushion needed to pull out the set. Paola Maradei placed her third service ace of the game to secure a 1-0 match lead for the Spartans.
 
The Spartans put on a defensive clinic in the second set, holding the Bulldogs to four kills on a -.182 hitting percentage. NSU opened the game on an 11-1 run, energized by three blocks from Lightbourn.
 
The NSU hitters took advantage of their opportunities as well, posting a .364 hitting percentage on 22 attacks. SCSU's eight second-set points were the fewest allowed in a game by the Spartans this season.
 
Needing to mount a ferocious comeback to change the result, SCSU won the first three points of the third set in what would be the most competitive frame of the evening. A six-point run behind the serve of Alondra Hernandez helped the Spartans retake the lead, but the Bulldogs continued to stay within reach.
 
Three kills by Seale and a pair from Lamb boosted the Spartans into control. After SCSU successfully escaped from three match points, Carla Hernandez put away a Langer pass for the final touch of the sweep.
 
Norfolk State closes its road trip on Sunday at 1 p.m. at North Carolina Central. The Spartans will be searching for revenge in Durham, dropping the first match of the foes' series in a five-set heartbreaker.