BALTIMORE, Md. – The Norfolk State volleyball team put up a strong fight against the No. 1 team in the MEAC standings on Friday but couldn't pull off the road victory. The Eagles (22-3, 11-0 MEAC) remained unbeaten in conference, defeating the Spartans (8-11, 7-5) 3-1 at Physical Education Complex Arena.
 
After Norfolk State took the first set 25-23, Coppin State won the next three by scores of 25-22, 25-21, and 25-17. The win was CSU's 10^th consecutive.
 
Freshman Sydney McCree facilitated the Spartan offense with 34 assists, while libero Fabiana Mucciola added four from the back row. Freshman Gabrielle Gilbert continued her dominant rookie campaign, picking up her third career double-double with 14 kills and 10 digs.
 
Shonte Seale got the Spartans warmed up quickly in the opposing atmosphere, registering two service aces to take a 5-1 lead in the first set. A pair of kills by Grace Smith helped the Spartans extend that cushion. Smith finished with a career-high nine kills on the night.
 
A 5-0 swing by the Eagles flipped the script, but the Spartans kept their cool. Freshmen Briana Ellis and Kaden Sanders produced successful attacks that sparked a 7-1 run for NSU, before a Coppin State attack error closed out the set for NSU 25-23.
 
The Spartans kept the momentum going into the second game. Catori Crawford stumped the CSU defense with three aces in a four-point span, helping the Spartans take a 9-3 lead.
 
A 4-0 burst helped CSU claw back into the game, before another four-point swing gave the Eagles a small lead. Trinity Mitchell tied the set back up with an ace, but the Eagles won six of the final seven points to take the game 25-22.
 
With the third game tied 14-14, Coppin State reeled off three consecutive points which created a slight separation. Kills from Gilbert and Smith would keep the Spartans close, but Hope Casel finished the set with a successful swing to give CSU a 2-1 lead.
 
The momentum was back on their side, but the Eagles weren't going to coast to victory. Adlene Jideofor put away a McCree pass to kickstart a 4-1 NSU run to take a one-point advantage in the middle of the fourth set.
 
Coppin State responded with one of their its strongest stretches of the night, though, reeling off eight of the next nine points to take control of the game. Another 4-0 run moments later helped the Eagles close out the match.
 
Norfolk State stays in Baltimore for a 1 p.m. meeting on Sunday with Morgan State at Hill Field House.