NORFOLK, Va. – The Norfolk State volleyball team dropped a home match against Maryland Eastern Shore 3-0 on Friday evening at Gill Gymnasium.
 
The Hawks (12-9, 5-4 MEAC) defeated the Spartans (8-9, 7-3) by set scores of 25-22, 25-20, and 25-18, behind 12 kills from Ranyla Griggs and 17 assists from Romina Vacca.
 
Gabrielle Gilbert led the Spartans with 15 kills on 34 attempts, while Fabiana Mucciola paced the defensive end with six digs.
 
The Hawks got off to a quick start with a 4-0 lead on three NSU attack errors, eventually building the advantage to 7-1. Raquel Lightbourn logged the Spartans' first kill of the evening, sparking a 4-0 run for NSU that tightened the set.
 
Gilbert registered the Spartans' next five kills, helping the team claw all the way back to a 16-16 tie. Back-to-back Griggs kills gave the Hawks a three-point advantage, but the Spartans continued fighting, getting back within one. Yilmaz got a crafty serve to fall for an ace, giving UMES the first set.
 
Several service aces by the Hawks helped them build a 9-5 advantage early in the second set, but a quick run capped off by a Shonte Seale kill pulled the Spartans within two. That would be the closest NSU would get in the second game, however, as UMES continued to produce a strong attack to earn a 2-0 lead in the match.
 
Briana Ellis, Adlene Jideofor, and Sydney McCree notched kills early in the third set, as the Spartans and Hawks remained neck-and-neck. Derionah Abner tallied a pair of successful swings during a 4-0 UMES run, before Nkemjika Ikemefuna heated up, extending the UMES lead at 17-11.
 
The Hawks ended the match on another service ace, ending Norfolk State's three-match win streak.