DOVER, Del. - The Norfolk State volleyball team's spectacular season ends as it ends with 3-1 loss to the Hawks of Maryland Eastern Shore in the Quarterfinal round of the 2024 MEAC Volleyball Championship Tournament.

In one of the best seasons in Norfolk State volleyball history, the Spartans showed poise in the Quarterfinal match against the Hawks. 

Finishing the season with a 13-15 record, Norfolk State secured one of its best winningest seasons since 2012, when the Spartans went 14-20 under head coach Brandon Duvall. 

Senior Alexa Harris along with graduate student Adlene Jideofor sparked an early 5-2 lead for Norfolk State. Four points marked the largest lead of the first set for either squad as both teams battled to take possession early.

Norfolk State's defense in the first set proved pivotal in keeping the Hawks in check. The Spartans defense contributed to four blocks, whilst also holding UMES to a .194 hitting percentage.

With the first set tied 19-10, kills by Harris and Gilbert forced a UMES timeout, with the Spartans up 21-19. A 6-0 run by the Hawks to end the set, won them the first set, 25-21.

In set two, the Spartans went on a 9-5 run to squander any momentum the Hawks looked to gain after they took a 6-2 lead. Norfolk State capitalized on the many Hawks mistakes through the second set to close in on their lead

Jordan Lyons posted a pair of kills to bring the Spartans within one point, 11-10, in the second set. She became pivotal in the Spartans' run to end the set.

With Norfolk State down 20-18, Norfolk State head coach Kathy Bullock called a critical timeout to get her players back in the zone. After the timeout, the Spartans went on a 7-3 run to win set two 25-23. 

The tandem of Lyons and Gilbert worked together exactly as drawn up. A kill by Jala Dixon started the run before two kills from Lyons and Harris tied the set 21-21. 

An attacking error by the Hawks and a service ace by Lyons gave Norfolk State a 23-21 lead over the Hawks. Gilbert secured the win for the Spartans after back-to-back kills from across the net left the Hawks with no answers to combat it. 

A 16-0 run by the Hawks in the third set overwhelmed the Spartans, as the visiting team hit on all cylinders. The Hawks secured a .471 hitting percentage in the set along with seven blocks to go up 2-1 over the Spartans.

Set four, won 25-12 by the Hawks, garnered them the 3-1 match win over the Spartans to move on to the MEAC Volleyball Championship Tournament Semifinals, where they will face No. 1 seed Howard.

At the beginning of the first set, the Spartans' defense curated four errors on the Hawks as both teams tied it at 5-5. A 5-0 run gave the Hawks a 10-5 lead behind three consecutive kills by Lilliana Montes.

The Hawks never surrendered the lead they gained in the fourth set, leading by as much as 12 at its highest. The Hawks won set four to defeat the Spartans 3-1 in Dover, Del.

Checking The Box Score

• MEAC Defensive Player of the Year, Lily Rose-Pichon, totaled 22 digs
• Gabrielle Gilbert, member of the 2024 All-MEAC First Team, tallied 14 kills, three digs, and a service ace against the Hawks
• Jordan Lyons logged seven kills, joining Harris who finished with six 
• MEAC All-Second Team selection, Sydney McCree posted 27 assists and six digs

History in the Making

• Lily Rose-Pichon became Norfolk State's first Defensive Player of the Year selection in school history
• The Spartans totaled two All-MEAC selections: Gilbert on first team and McCree on second team
• Norfolk State secured its second-most wins in the D-1 era, finishing with a 13-15 record
• The Spartans ended the season one win shy of tying the most matches won in a season since 2012 (14-20)

News & Notes

• UMES leads the all-time series 44-19 over the Spartans
• Norfolk State fell to Maryland Eastern Shore in four sets in Dover, Del.
• Norfolk State defeated UMES in both regular season meetings this season: 3-0 home sweep and a 3-2 thriller in Princess Anne, Md.

For complete coverage of Norfolk State Athletics, please follow the Spartans on social media at @nsuspartans (Twitter), /NorfolkStateAthletics (Facebook), @NSUAthletics (Instagram), @nsuathletics (YouTube) or visit the official home of Norfolk State Athletics at nsuspartans.com.