NORFOLK, Va. - Led by junior setter/opposite
Sydney McCree, Norfolk State defeated Morgan State, 3-2, Sunday, at the Hill Field House in Baltimore, Md.
McCree secured her sixth 40+ assist game of her career and eclipsed her season-high after posting 43 as Norfolk State (8-10) moves to 3-3 in conference play with the win over Morgan State (5-15, 1-5 MEAC).
In those six games in her career, McCree posted 40+ plus assists once this season, three her sophomore season, and two in her freshman year. On Oct. 16, 2022, McCree set her career-high against North Carolina Central posting 48.
The Spartans took a 2-0 lead over the Bears after dominating in the first two sets. The Spartans hit .364 in the first set behind 16 kills.
Back-to-back 5-0 runs from the Spartans catapulted them to an easy win in the first set, 25-13. After those runs, Norfolk State held the Bears to only four points.
To begin set two, the Spartans collected two kills from Harris and one from Gilbert. After a service error by Morgan State, Gilbert vaulted the Spartans to a 8-3 lead after three consecutive service aces.
With a 9-6 lead over MSU, the Spartans went on a 5-0 run sparked by a kill by Gilbert and a service ace from Lily Rose-Pichon to capture a 14-6 lead. Norfolk State would go on to win the set 25-20 over the Bears to take a 2-0 lead.
In set three, the Bears utilized a 6-1 start in order to take set three, 25-18.
In set four, the Spartans down five utilized a 4-0 run to bring themselves within one point of the Bears, 16-15. Lyons' three kills in the run were pivotal as the Spartans fought to take the lead.
Reagan Chisholm notched two huge block assists along with Kaden Sanders and Gilbert, to bring the Spartans within two points, 22-20. A kill by Harris from McCree put the Spartans down only 23-21 in the fourth set.
A kill by the Bears and a bad set from the Spartans, won the Bears the fourth set 25-21, as they forced a fifth set. This is only the second fifth-set game this season for the Spartans with both being in conference play.
It came down to the fifth-set between the Spartans and the Bears, with the Bears taking a 4-2 lead to start. Kills from Gilbert, Adlene Jideofor, and Lyons, along with a bad set from the Bears, was all the Spartans needed to take a lead that they never relinquished.
There were five ties in the fifth set as both teams fought hard at the end as the Spartans came out on top winning the fifth set by a score of 15-11.
Checking The Box Score
- McCree, the Spartans' assist leader, compiled a season-high 43 assists against the Bears
- Lyons (14), Harris (15), and Gilbert (20) combined for 49 of the 57 total kills for the Spartans, which was the second most this season
- Norfolk State tied their season-high in service aces this season with 12
- Three players obtained three service aces: McCree, Gilbert, and Mataira; Rose-Pichon finished with two
News & Notes
- Morgan State leads the all-time series over Norfolk State, 14-13
- The last time the Spartans and the Bears battled to five sets was in 2017 on Oct. 1
- The Spartans are 1-1 in fifth-set games this season with both being in conference play
- With the 3-2 win over Morgan State, the Spartans are now 3-3 in MEAC play with them currently sitting in fifth place in the MEAC standings
LOOKING AHEAD TO WHAT'S NEXT
For the second time this season, the Spartans play Hampton with their next game on Wednesday, Oct. 16 at 6 p.m. Norfolk State swept the Pirates in the first meeting this season on Sept. 17 in Norfolk, Va. at Gill Gymnasium.
The Spartans' next home game will be on Sunday, Oct. 20 against Howard in the "Breast Cancer Awareness" game.
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