NORFOLK, Va. — The Norfolk State volleyball team plays the second of three straight road matches on Friday, Oct. 23, with a 5 p.m. first serve at Morgan State inside Hill Field House. The match streams on the MEAC Network and is Morgan State's Hall of Fame and Alumni Night.
MATCH INFORMATION
At Morgan State | Friday, Oct. 23 | 5 p.m. | Hill Field House, Baltimore, Md. | WATCH | STATS
MATAIRA APPROACHES 1,000
Jasmine Mataira enters Friday 14 assists shy of 1,000 for her career. The junior setter has handled the bulk of Norfolk State's distribution this season and would become the latest Spartan to reach the milestone.
ABOUT THE SPARTANS
Norfolk State is 7-14 overall and 3-5 in MEAC play after dropping both ends of last week's slate, falling at home to Howard on Oct. 15 before a trip to Coppin State on Oct. 18, both matches going to four sets.
Gabrielle Gilbert continues to lead the conference in five categories. The senior has 303 kills (3.84 per set), 363.0 points (4.59 per set) and 800 attack attempts (10.13 per set), all MEAC bests, and ranks 12th nationally in points, 20th in total kills and 24th in total attacks.
Jazeli Vandenburgh has 269 digs, third-most in the conference, while Ava Berry leads the Spartans with 72 blocks, third in the MEAC. Norfolk State's 160.0 total blocks rank third in the league.
ON THE DOORSTEP NATIONALLY
Norfolk State ranks second in Division I in service aces per set at 2.44, one one-hundredth of a point behind national leader UNC Asheville (2.45). The Spartans are also second nationally with 193 total aces and lead the MEAC in both categories.
Gilbert now paces the conference and ranks 14th nationally at 0.59 aces per set, and her 47 total aces are fifth-most in the country. Vandenburgh has 42, 11th nationally, and Mataira has added 29.
GILBERT'S RECORD SEASON
Gilbert owns three Norfolk State career records: 1,415 kills, 1,639.5 points and 3,795 attack attempts. Her 147 career service aces rank sixth in program history, four behind Kim Mumford's 151 from 1992-95.
ABOUT THE BEARS
Morgan State has been the hottest team in the MEAC. The Bears are 6-13 overall but 5-2 in league play and have won four straight, most recently knocking off crosstown rival Coppin State in five sets on Oct. 16 to snap the Eagles' program-record winning streak.
The run also includes a five-set win over Delaware State on homecoming, a four-set win at Maryland Eastern Shore and a five-set decision at South Carolina State. Morgan State opened MEAC play with a 3-1 win at Norfolk State on Sept. 25.
Jada Williams and Michaela Panekova lead the Morgan State attack, both averaging well over 2.5 kills per set, with setter Isabelle Brown running the offense at better than seven assists per set. Brown has been named MEAC Setter of the Week twice this season. Williams is among the league's top blockers alongside Tre'Niya Miller and Aubrey Wilson.
SERIES HISTORY
Morgan State leads the all-time series, 30-15, including the 3-1 win in Gill Gymnasium on Sept. 25.
UP NEXT
For complete coverage of Norfolk State Athletics, follow the Spartans on social media at @nsuspartans (X/Twitter), /NorfolkStateAthletics (Facebook), @NSUAthletics (Instagram) and @nsuathletics (YouTube), or visit the official home of Norfolk State Athletics at nsuspartans.com.
