NORFOLK, Va. - The Norfolk State women's volleyball team is back in action this weekend as the team splits the weekend on the road and at home on Friday and Sunday.  

Norfolk State will travel up the Eastern Shore on Friday, Sept 29, to face the Hawks from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. First serve is set for 6 PM in Princess Anne, MD. The Spartans wrap up the weekend action at home on Sunday, Oct. 1, when they host the Hornets from Delaware State in Gill Gymnasium at 3 PM.  

Norfolk State Notes 

The Spartans enter the weekend coming off a pair of MEAC wins over North Carolina Central and South Carolina State last weekend. NSU gave up just one set over the weekend between the two matches and that was to the Bulldogs of SCSU (0-15). 

Gabrielle Gilbert was named the MEAC women's volleyball rookie of the week of the third consecutive week. The Indianapolis, Indiana native tallied a total of 26 kills over the weekend, breaking down to 11 kills in the win against North Carolina Central and 15 against South Carolina State. In the match against NCCU, she tallied 10 digs for her first double-double of the season. The 15 kills Gilbert recorded against the Bulldogs, led all players, while she also posted a season and career-high five aces in the match as well.

Gilbert leads the Spartans with 108 kills while Shonte Seale is the only other Spartan with 100+ kills sitting at 101. Sydney McCree again holds the honors of the primary setter collecting 266 assists this season already. Gilbert and McCree share the team lead in aces with 11 apiece. 

Maryland Eastern Shore Notes 

The Hawks enter the weekend with an overall record of 8-6 and a 1-1 mark in the MEAC. UMES played in a pair of thrilling five set matches picking up a win at home over Morgan State and falling on the road Coppin State.  

At the helm of the Hawks coaching staff are a pair of Norfolk State alumni in Vanessa Faircloth and Noelle Eagles. Coach Faircloth played during the 2006 and 2007 seasons while Coach Eagles, the program leader for career digs at 1,514, played from 2010 to 2014.  

On the court, the Hawks are led on attack by Ranyla Griggs, Nkemjika Ikemefuna, and Derionah Abner with a combined 367 kills. Their two-setter system puts Romina Vacca and Anisa Dorlouis in position to set up the three attackers for a powerful attack.  

Both Abner and Griggs have garnered MEAC player of the week honors while Dorlouis has been named MEAC rookie once, and Valeria Matias, UMES's defensive specialist, has been once named the MEAC defensive player of the week. Matias leads the team defense with 138 digs while Isil Yilmaz is close behind at 120 digs.  

Delaware State Notes 

DSU is 8-8 heading into this weekend and also 1-1 against MEAC foes. The Hornets come into the game riding a four-set win over Morgan State after falling two days prior to Coppin State in four.  

Delaware State has three players with 100 or more kills this season in Alondra Maldonado (171), Valeria Otero (110), and Ella Sanders (109). The Hornets run a two setter system with Naz Tuncay and Kaulana Kalulu-Sugai splitting time at the role. Tuncay has 292 assists on the season while Kalulu-Sugai is sitting at 239.

Otero leads the team with 22 service aces. She also sits at the top of the stats charts in digs with 182, while Maria Caratini is close behind at 162. 

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