NORFOLK, Va. - The Spartans of Norfolk State University defeated the Hornets of Delaware State University in three sets to complete the weekend sweep of MEAC competition. NSU sits in a tie with Coppin State atop the MEAC standings as both teams are 4-0 in MEAC play.
The Spartans were led by freshman Gabrielle Gilbert with 14 kills in the match while senior Shonte Seale was close behind with 12 of her own. Setter Sydney McCree put up 37 assists in the match along with an ace and five digs. She sits 46 assists away from 1000 in her career. Fabiana Mucciola dug up 15 balls to lead the back line. Grace Smith made three stops at the net while Briana Ellis and Gilbert both put down two blocks each. Adlene Jideofor made one block and added six kills as well as three digs.
The match began with the Spartans getting out to an early lead going up 7-3 on four kills and three Hornet errors. Delaware State pulled within one, 7-6, but a 5-1 run by Norfolk State put the Green and Gold back up by five points, 12-7. Four kills aided in the run as Gilbert put down two, while Jideofor and Grace Smith each added one. NSU maintained its lead 17-12 with another four kills from four different players, McCree, Ellis, Gilbert, and Seale. The Hornets fought their way back within one point late in the set as the score sat at 24-23 following the 11-7 run by DSU. A well-placed kill from Gilbert gave the Spartans the first set win 25-23.
The teams were neck and neck through the early part of set two as the score sat knotted at nine apiece following a kill from Delaware State. Norfolk State started to pull away going up 15-11 after a pair of Gilbert kills and a block, three Hornet errors. The Spartans closed out the set on a 10-8 run, winning set two 25-19. Nine of the ten points came from kills, three each from Seale and Gilbert, while Smith, Ellis, and McCree each put down one.
Delaware State opened the third set taking a 5-3 lead. The Spartans settled down and refocused coming back to tie the score at seven all. NSU pulled ahead by two points on an ace from McCree, but DSU evened the score again at 11 all. Norfolk State pulled ahead again before Delaware State knotted the score again at 13 all. A 6-2 run by the Spartans put the Green and Gold ahead 19-15 as two kills, one each from Jideofor and Ellis, an ace from Trinity Mitchell, and three Hornet errors aided in the run. DSU battled back late to even the score three more times, the last at 24 all, on a 9-5 run, but the Spartans settled enough to put down the next two points on a kill from McCree and an ace from Seale to win the third set 26-24.
The Spartans return to the court next weekend when they host Coppin State and Morgan State on Oct. 6th and 8th at Gill Gymnasium. The Friday night game against the Eagles of Coppin State is the annual Breast Cancer Awareness game where fans are encouraged to wear pink as they pack Gill.
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