NORFOLK, Va. - Junior setter Sydney McCree, on the Norfolk State volleyball team, reached her career milestone of 2,000 career assists, in the 3-2 win over Delaware State on Sunday in the "Youth Day" match at Gill Gymnasium.

McCree currently sits in third place all-time in Norfolk State history in career assists at 2,013, behind Nicole Kessner '12 (2,424) and Darcy Moore '15 (3,195). McCree finished with 33 against the Hornets on Sunday.

Fourth-seeded Norfolk State (12-12, 6-5 MEAC) defeated the three-seeded Hornets (11-13, 7-4 MEAC) in five sets in the last meeting between the teams this regular season.

The Spartans took set one in a 26-24 tie-breaker behind their monumental defense that held the Hornets to a .190 attacking percentage. Norfolk State led by seven as its largest over after six kills by Gabrielle Gilbert.

The Spartans took an 8-4 lead after an early 5-1 run. In that span, Norfolk State collected kills from Gilbert and senior Alexa Harris. 

On a run in which Norfolk State doubled as many points as Delaware State, the Spartans took a seven point lead (20-13). Kills came from all-around in that set: Gilbert with two, graduate student Adlene Jideofor, Harris, and freshman Reagan Chisholm with one each.

The Hornets stormed back to tie up the set in the waning moments, 24-24, but Gilbert secured back-to-back kills to win Norfolk State set one, 26-24.

In set two, the Hornets hit .414 to win 25-12 over the Spartans.

The presence of sophomores Trinity Mitchell and Catori Crawford in set three led to many long rallies between the Spartans and the Hornets. They were able to keep the ball in play for the Spartans on multiple possessions with their incredible efforts defensively and offensively.

Delaware State shot out to an early 5-1 lead, but the Spartans never faltered, sparked from a kill from graduate student Jordan Lyons. Lyons' kill, followed by a DSU attacking error and a Gilbert kill brought the Spartans within one point, 5-4.

A service error by the Hornets allowed for the Spartans to capitalize on a service ace from Jasmine Mataira. Gilbert would then showcase her defensive and offensive prowess with a block assist, shared by Jideofor, and a kill to tie it, 8-8.

Tied at 1-1 through two sets, the Spartans utilized a pivotal timeout call to re-establish their momentum in the set. It all started on a DSU service error and a kill by Lyons, as both teams exchanged kills.

After the Hornets secured a kill to go up 20-18, Delaware State's kill leader, Gerren Tomlin, got denied by both Jideofor and sophomore Jala Dixon to stop their run in its tracks.

Three kills by the Hornets to one by the Spartans allowed them to take a 25-22 win in set two, to go up 2-1 in the match. Norfolk State stayed within scoring distance of the Hornets behind six attacking errors and seven service errors by Delaware State.

In set four, neither team led by more than two points. Twelve errors by the Hornets in set four curated by eight blocks and two service aces by the Spartans, gave them everything they needed to take over in set four.

Norfolk State head coach Kathy Bullock called timeout with the Hornets leading 24-23 to revitalize the Spartans in clutch time. A leader on the inside for the Spartans, Jideofor took over for the Spartans with back-to-back clutch plays.

With the game on the line, Jideofor stepped up, coming down with a huge solo block in an electrifying feat, to tie it 24-24. Hungry and pumped up, Jideofor asked for the ball on the next play, securing a big kill assisted by Harris as the Spartans broke their tie-breaker, 25-24.

The last play of the set came on a kill by Lyons, who rose up on a high ball from Sydney McCree, leading the Spartans to a 26-24 set four win.

Coming into set five pumped up from the crowd, the Spartans utilized a 5-2 run to take the set 15-12 over the Hornets. In that run, Lyons, Harris, and Chisholm each secured kills, along with two attacking errors by the Hornets to vault the Saprtans to a 12-8 lead.

Never surrendering their lead, the Spartans won set five 15-12, electrifying the crowd in the biggest win of the season. 

In a night that consisted of new career milestones by McCree and huge plays from Lyons and Jideofor, the Spartans garnered their biggest win of the season against Delaware State who were 7-3 in conference play coming into the contest.

Checking The Box Score

• McCree posted a 33-assist, 11-dig double-double
• Gilbert notched an incredible all-around performance finishing with 18 kills, nine digs, and seven block assists
• Chisholm collected 10 block assists for a team-high
• Lily Rose-Pichon led both teams in digs, securing 21

News & Notes

• Delaware State leads the all-time series 37-20 over the Spartans
• Norfolk State garners their biggest win of the season against the Hornets who were 7-3 in conference play coming into the game
• The last time the Spartans and Hornets played to five sets, on Nov. 10, 2019, DSU
• Norfolk State splits the season series with the Hornets 1-1, after losing the first meeting 3-0 on Oct. 6 in Dover, Del.
• Junior setter Sydney McCree eclipsed 2,000 career assists against the Hornets
• Norfolk State's 12 wins are the most since 2012 (14 win season under Brandon Duvall)

 
UP NEXT
On Friday, Nov. 8, Norfolk State hosts Coppin State at Gill Gymnasium for the "Faculty Appreciation" match that begins at 6 p.m.

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