BALTIMORE, Md. - The Norfolk State volleyball team battled with the 2023 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) tournament champions Coppin State in a 3-1 loss in Baltimore, Md. on Friday at the Physical Education Complex.

The Spartans (7-10, 2-3 MEAC) begin their road trip through Baltimore this week with matchups against Coppin State (9-11, 5-0 MEAC) on Friday, before facing Morgan State (5-14, 1-4 MEAC) on Sunday.

The Eagles led early on in the first set, leading by as much as five at its highest. Reagan Chisholm notched a pair of kills to bring the Spartans closer at 10-7, but an 11-3 run by the Eagles to end the set allowed them to take it 25-15.

In set two, a kill by Gabrielle GIlbert sparked a run that saw the Spartans take a 19-12 lead. In that span, Gilbert secured four kills, Alexa Harris recorded three kills and a block assist, and Sydney McCree picked up seven assists.

The Eagles tied the score at 20-20 in the back-and-forth second set. A kill by Jordan Lyons and blocks assisted by Gilbert and Reagan Chisholm put the Spartans at 22-20.

A service error gave the Spartans a one-point lead, but a Gilbert kill put it back up two. A kill by the Eagles put the Spartan down only 23-22. 

Alexa Harris grabbed a kill then the icing on the cake came on a service ace by Jasmine Mataira, as the Spartans tied the match at 1-1, behind a 25-22 second set win.

Norfolk State fell in the third set 25-19 despite five kills by Gilbert in the set joined by three from Harris and two from Chisholm. Down two sets to one, the Spartans battled in the fourth set with contributions coming from everyone at the end. 

A kill by Harris, two kills by Gilbert, and an attacking error put the Spartans down 18-13. The pair of Adlene Jideofor and Jordan Lyons secured kills to bring the Spartans within two points, 19-17, before going up a huge block assist together as Norfolk State came within one point of the Eagles, 19-18.

Coppin State had three kills in a row to go up 23-18. After a timeout by the Spartans, they managed to cook up a play resulting in a kill from Lyons from McCree. The score is now 23-19.

Lyons and Chisholm went up for a huge block then Lily Rose-Pichon secured an ace, as the score was now 23-21. Unfortunately, a kill and a service ace by the Eagles gave the 25-21 win in set four.

Checking The Box Score

• Gabrielle Gilbert recorded a 16-kill, 10-dig double-double, her fourth of the season
• Alexa Harris and Reagan Chisholm each posted four block assists; Harris also secured 12 kills
• The Spartans' assist leader, Sydney McCree, notched 38 assists against the Eagles
• Lily Rose-Pichon posted 23 digs

News & Notes

• The Eagles lead the all-time series 22-6 over the Spartans; holding a seven game winning streak since 2021
• Norfolk State moves to fifth place in the MEAC behind a 2-3 record in conference play
• Norfolk State faces Coppin State once again on Nov. 8 at Gill Gymnasium in Norfolk, Va. in the "Faculty Appreciation" game

LOOKING AHEAD TO WHAT'S NEXT
Staying Baltimore, Md., the Spartans face Morgan State (5-14, 1-4 MEAC) who fell to top-seed Howard on Friday, 3-0. The match against Morgan State is Sunday at 1 p.m. at the Hill Field House in Baltimore, Md. for Norfolk State's sixth conference game of the season.

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