NORFOLK, Va. - The Norfolk State University Spartan women's volleyball team opened the 2023 season at the Quest for the Crown Tournament hosted by Old Dominion University. The Spartans dropped their first two matches of the season on Saturday falling 3-0 to both Virginia Commonwealth and Old Dominion. Shonte Seale led the day with 27 total kills across both matches garnering All-Tournament honors.
The Spartans got off to a rocky start giving up five points to start the set. Norfolk State came back to pull within two points after going on an 8-5 run that saw Shonte Seale tally three kills, Alexa Harris added two and Sydney McCree put down one kill to trail 10-8.
The Rams opened up a six-point lead, 16-10, while holding the Spartans to just seven points throughout the remainder of the set as VCU claimed the opening set 25-17.
Four kills early in the second set from Seale, Harris, and Gabrielle Gilbert as well as a Ram service error saw the teams knot the score at five all early in set two. VCU responded with seven unanswered points pulling ahead 13-5. Norfolk State came as close as six points to Virginia Commonwealth throughout the remainder of set two as VCU took the second frame 25-15.
The Spartans came out in the third set with a fire under them taking an early 4-2 lead following a block from Alexa Harris and Grace Smith. The Rams came back to even the score at five all and took a 6-5 lead on a service ace. Three consecutive kills for NSU, from Harris, Gilbert, and McCree, put NSU back in the lead and they continued to pull ahead by four points, 10-6, after a pair of VCU attack errors including one that was blocked by Smith and Gilbert.
Norfolk State held Virginia Commonwealth at bay for a while longer until the Rams evened the score at 16 all following a 10-6 run for the Black and Gold. The set score knotted up seven more times following the 16 all tie with the last coming at 24 all when Seale sent a service ace over the net. The next two points fell in favor of VCU as the Rams won set three 26-24 and claimed the match in three sets.
At the first media timeout the Monarchs led the Spartans 12-3 with ODU scoring on seven kills and four blocks. NSU came out of the timeout scoring on a kill from Shonte Seale before ODU went on a 7-0 rally taking a 19-4 lead. A soft hit from Alexa Harris fell for a kill ending the Monarchs run.
Adlene Jideofor made a big block stopping an attack from ODU's Myah Conway sending Harris back to serve for the Spartans. Unfortunately, NSU could not find a consistent rhythm in the opening set as ODU claimed the opening set 25-9.
Alexa Harris led the Spartans with 12 kills while Shonte Seale was on her heels with 11 of her own. Sydney McCree collected 22 assists while Fabiana Mucciola led the back line with 11 digs.
The Spartans had little time to rest, stepping back on the court just a few hours later for a matchup with the Monarchs. ODU got out to an early lead pulling ahead 10-3 in the opening set. Old Dominion held the advantage coming off a day of rest winning set one 25-9 with Gilbert, Harris, McCree and Seale all collecting kills for Norfolk State in the opening set.
The Spartans came out in set two with a different attitude opening on a 5-1 run with a pair of service aces, two kills, and a block from Adlene Jideofor and Gabrielle Gilbert. The Monarchs put together three points before a soft kill from Gilbert put the Spartans ahead 6-4.
Old Dominion worked their way back to tie the score at 9-9 but a kill from Seale put Norfolk State back on top 10-9. The teams went back forth trading points with the Spartans holding a slight edge over the Monarchs. A pair of kills, one each from Gilbert and Seale, gave NSU a 13-11 lead.
ODU climbed ahead 16-14 after the media timeout called by NSU but the Spartans fought back to even the score at 17 all and claimed the lead 19-17 on back-to-back attacking errors from the Monarchs forcing an ODU timeout.
NSU opened a three-point lead, 20-17, following a run that saw two kills from Harris, two Monarch attacking errors, and a service ace from Catori Crawford. ODU responded by evening the score for the ninth time, at 21 points, forcing NSU to call timeout.
After the Spartans called their second timeout with the Monarchs leading 24-22, Seale put down back-to-back kills to even the score at 24 all. On their second set point, ODU's Kate Kilpatrick served into the net evening the score at 25 all. As the teams continued trading points, Gilbert tied the score at 26 all with a soft kill and a slam from Sydney McCree gave NSU the 27-26 lead.
Old Dominion came back to win set two 29-27 after a pair of Spartan attacking errors and a kill from Bryanna Jones.
Seale led off the third set with a massive kill down the left line to get NSU on the board first.
The Spartans kept close to the Monarchs trailing by two points through the early part of set three. Seale added her 12th kill of the match putting the score at 12-10 while a kill from Harris, her fifth of the match, put the score at 13-11.
NSU was within two points, 16-14, following a kill by Seale, but ODU opened a seven-point lead 21-14 following five consecutive points from the Monarchs. Norfolk State added three more points on three kills, two from Seale and one from Harris, before Old Dominion collected their final point to win se three 25-17.
Leading the game on attack for NSU was Shonte Seale (16 kills) while Sydney McCree tallied 26 assists. Alexa Harris held down the back line with nine digs.
Norfolk State returns to the court on Tuesday, September 5, for the 'Battle of the Bay'. The Pirates from Hampton University travel across the HRBT to compete at Gill Gymnasium for a 6 PM first serve.
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