NORFOLK, Va. – Two tight sets didn't go the Spartans way on Tuesday afternoon as they were defeated 3-0 by Old Dominion. The Monarchs prevailed by scores of 25-23, 25-23, 25-14.
 
Shonte Seale led NSU with 13 kills on an efficient .391 attacking percentage, while freshman setter Sydney McCree posted 28 assists. Carla Hernandez showed poise both offensively and defensively, recording a team-high 11 digs to go with seven kills.
 
ODU started things off with an ace, one of the Spartans' toughest facets of the night. The Monarchs stumped NSU's defense on 13 serves, while the Spartans mustered three aces over the course of the match.
 
The road team jumped out to an 8-4 opening lead, but Seale made sure the Spartans remained competitive. The junior outside hitter came alive early in the first set, earning back-to-back kills in a 5-0 NSU run to give NSU its first lead of the match.  Seale finished the set with a dominant seven kills.
 
The opening game proved to be a battle of momentum, though. A 4-0 run gave the advantage back to ODU, before Paola Matos helped earn the Spartans a 23-22 lead with her second kill of the night. Matos finished the night with eight kills on a match-high .571 hitting percentage.
 
But the burst wouldn't prove enough, as the Monarchs won the final three points of the set to go up 1-0 in the match.
 
The fiery shifts in control continued in the second set, with Old Dominion's 7-1 spurt setting the tone early. Matos crafted some much-needed attacks to inch NSU forward, but Hernandez, Seale, and McCree combined for four straight kills moments later to even the set at 17.
 
With the Monarchs ahead 24-21, the Spartans made a valiant attempt to keep the set alive. Seale and Matos put away a pair of McCree sets, pulling NSU within one, before Adlene Jideofor got the crowd on its feet with a difficult rejection on the final set point. The ball was ruled out by the slimmest of margins, though, giving ODU the set's clinching score.
 
With their backs against the wall, the Spartans struggled to fend off ODU's productive attack in the third game. NSU stayed neck-and-neck early on, but a 4-0 run from the Monarchs gave them a comfortable lead. ODU rode a .500 hitting percentage in the third set to secure a victory.
 
The Spartans hit the road in the morning for a Thursday evening showdown at Virginia Tech. The 5:30 p.m. bout will decide if the Spartans match up with Western Carolina or App State on Friday to close out the Virginia Tech Classic.