Box Score NORFOLK, Va. - The Norfolk State University women's volleyball team prepared for their season opener on August 26 by competing in an exhibition match against the Tribe from the College of William & Mary on Saturday afternoon. The teams played a best of five game with the Tribe coming away with the three set victory.

The Spartans had a strong showing on the court led by a pair of hitters in senior Shonte Seale and freshman Gabrielle Gilbert. Sophomore setter Sydney McCree played well in her position coming off a rookie season that saw her garner All-MEAC Rookie team honors. 

Seale led all attackers with 10 kills on 26 attacks, while Gilbert put down five kills in the exhibition game. McCree led all setters with 18 assists while also collecting a service ace and four digs for the Spartans. Junior transfer Fabiana Mucciola led the back line with six digs with Seale and Gilbert both collecting five apiece. 

"We did some great things, while some of our weaknesses were exposed," said Head Coach Kathy Bullock, who enters her fifth season leading the Spartans. "We need to go back to the drawing board and make sure we work on those things. And that is why it is always good to have exhibitions games so you can fine tune all the little things to get prepared for the upcoming season. But we definitely have some good attacking and some good blocking. They [William & Mary] were a big team, and it was good to go against a big blocking team so we know what to work on, and I think we did a pretty good job against those big blocks. So we just have to fine tune to get prepared for the upcoming week."

Norfolk State opens the 2023 season on the road as they travel across Norfolk to the campus of Old Dominion University for a tri-match against the host Monarchs and the Rams of Virginia Commonwealth University. NSU faces VCU first at 12 PM while wrapping up the day against ODU at 6 PM.

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