NORFOLK, Va. – Norfolk State volleyball head coach Kathy Bullock has preached the importance of never giving up on a play to her team this entire summer, expecting unparalleled effort regardless of the score.
 
The team's instilled tenacity finally paid off on Friday, and in euphoric fashion at that. Norfolk State overcame a two-set deficit against Maryland Eastern Shore, shocking the Hawks 3-2 for the squad's first win of the season and a 1-0 start to conference play.

"The girls have been working extremely hard, and we had a couple of five-setters that we lost, so it is the best feeling ever for them to actually get their first win for the 2022 season," Bullock said. "We're really excited about the future."
 
After dropping the first two sets 25-22, 25-22, NSU persevered to snatch the final three games 25-16, 25-20, 16-14. It was the Spartans first win over UMES since 2013, ending a nearly nine-year drought against the Hawks.
 
Carla Hernandez led the Spartans with 12 kills on the night, adding 10 digs for her first double-double of the season. Paola Maradei protected the net with a career-best eight blocks, while Nicole Rodriguez kept the back line stable with 17 digs.
 
UMES had control of the match early, going ahead 4-0 in the first set to put the Spartans on their heels. Two consecutive aces by the Hawks helped them maintain a three-point cushion later on, but the Spartans would come roaring back with a 6-1 run, fueled by back-to-back aces from freshman setter Sydney McCree.
 
The night would prove to be a battle of runs, as the Hawks immediately responded with a five-point burst to regain the lead, using that momentum to squeeze out the first game.
 
Maryland Eastern Shore put together two separate 5-0 spurts to earn a 17-11 advantage in the second set. The Spartans clawed forward one rally at a time, eventually evening the game 21-21, but the Hawks won four of the last five points to go up 2-0 in the match.
 
Despite the daunting deficit, Bullock and the Spartans never lost faith.

"We knew we had it from the beginning, we just couldn't catch our rhythm," the head coach said. "We finally caught our rhythm and it felt like once we caught our rhythm, it was all the way home."
 
A kill by Shonte Seale, ace from Kylah Hunter, and two kills by Paola Matos got the Spartans rolling in the third game, desperately needing a swing of energy. A few points later, Myleah Carter notched her second kill of the season on an attack from the back-line.
 
Shachia Lamb triggered a 4-0 Spartan run with an emphatic kill off a McCree pass. The sophomore middle blocker provided a crucial spark off the bench, ending the night with a career-high seven kills on a team-best .357 hitting percentage.
 
"Shachia [impressed me the most] for sure, she came in today and made a change," Carla Hernandez said. "This was kind of her first full game and she just did amazing."

The Spartans maintained total control of the third game on their way to a 25-16 result. The team provided balance offense and defensively, racking up 11 kills while forcing six UMES attack errors.
 
Rodriguez, Carter, and Alondra Hernandez continued to dominate defensively, holding the Hawks to a -.103 hitting percentage in the fourth set. Three consecutive UMES attack errors gave NSU a 6-3 advantage.
 
A 4-0 Hawks run eventually cut NSU's lead to one, but the Spartans wouldn't allow the Hawks to regain equal footing. Lamb notched a kill to cap off a 3-0 burst, before tacking on another two points later. An errant UMES swing gave NSU the game, and suddenly the Spartans had evened the match at 2-2.
 
Bullock told her team they had "been here before," coming up short in two five-set showdowns already this season. The Spartans had no plans for a third heartbreak, though.
 
McCree got the decisive set on the right track with an ace, putting away a crafty attack later to take a 6-3 lead. The freshman setter had her versatility on full display Friday night, recording career-highs in kills (7) and service aces (5), while racking up 30 assists.
 
Carla Hernandez got another attack to drop to put NSU ahead 10-7, but the Hawks clawed back to tie the score at 13. After failing to convert at 14-13, the Spartans survived a lengthy rally to set up its second match point of the night. McCree saved her final ace for the perfect moment, putting NSU in the win column as the Spartans raced onto the court in celebration.
 
Norfolk State (1-10, 1-0 MEAC) looks to continue its momentum on Sunday at Delaware State, as the Spartans square off with one of the top programs in the conference.