NORFOLK, Va. — The Norfolk State volleyball team closes the road portion of its schedule at Maryland Eastern Shore on Friday, Oct. 30, at 6 p.m. before returning to Gill Gymnasium on Sunday, Nov. 1, at 1 p.m. for Senior Day and the final home match of the season against Delaware State. Both matches stream on the MEAC Network.
MATCH INFORMATION
At Maryland Eastern Shore | Friday, Oct. 30 | 6 p.m. | Princess Anne, Md.
Vs. Delaware State | Sunday, Nov. 1 | 1 p.m. | Gill Gymnasium — Senior Day
Fans can purchase tickets for Sunday's match through the Norfolk State athletics ticket office and follow the action through live stats on the Norfolk State athletics website.
NO. 1 IN THE NATION
Norfolk State now leads all of Division I in service aces per set at 2.42, moving past UNC Asheville after holding the No. 2 spot for most of the season. The Spartans rank second nationally with 203 total aces and lead the MEAC in both categories by a wide margin — N.C. Central is next in the conference at 1.96 per set.
Gabrielle Gilbert is fourth in the country with 52 service aces and sixth in aces per set at 0.62, both MEAC bests. Jazeli Vandenburgh is second in the league and 15th nationally with 42, and Jasmine Mataira has 29. Three of the MEAC's top 10 servers by aces per set wear green and gold, with Briana Ellis ninth at 0.40.
ABOUT THE SPARTANS
Norfolk State is 8-14 overall and 4-5 in MEAC play after a 3-2 win at Morgan State on Oct. 23, taking the match 25-18, 24-26, 27-29, 25-20, 15-11. The Spartans sit third in the conference in match win percentage behind only Coppin State and Delaware State.
Gilbert leads the MEAC in five categories: 331 kills (3.94 per set), 396.5 points (4.72 per set) and 860 attack attempts (10.24 per set). She ranks 12th nationally in points, 22nd in total kills, 29th in points per set and 37th in total attacks — and no other MEAC player ranks inside the national top 125 in points or kills.
Ava Berry has 75 blocks, third-most in the conference, and Vandenburgh's 269 digs rank fifth. Norfolk State is third in the MEAC in hitting percentage at .201 and fourth in total blocks with 166.0.
MATAIRA REACHES 1,000
Mataira crossed 1,000 career assists at Morgan State, becoming the latest Spartan to reach the milestone. The junior setter did it in style, dishing a career-high 56 assists across the five-set win in Baltimore.
The total ties Darcy Moore's mark against Canisius on Sept. 7, 2013, for the second-most assists in a match in Norfolk State history. Only Moore's 57 against Morgan State on Sept. 27, 2015, stands ahead of it — set against the same opponent Mataira faced last week.
GILBERT'S RECORD SEASON
Gilbert owns three Norfolk State career records: 1,443 kills, 1,673.0 points and 3,855 attack attempts. Her 152 career service aces moved her past Kim Mumford (1992-95) into fifth place in program history, with Holly Gray's 160 from 1993-95 next.
A three-time All-MEAC First Team selection and a two-time MEAC Player of the Week this season, Gilbert was the 2023 MEAC Rookie of the Year and the 2024 VaSID State Player of the Year. She holds the single-season school records for kills (408 in 2024), kills per set (4.04 in 2024), attack attempts (1,193 in 2025), points (473.0 in 2024) and points per set (4.68 in 2024).
ABOUT THE HAWKS
Maryland Eastern Shore is 2-18 and sits last in the MEAC in win percentage. The Hawks rank last in the conference in hitting percentage (.132), kills per set (9.93) and service aces per set (1.30), and opponents are hitting .257 against them.
Blocking remains the strength. UMES is third in the MEAC at 2.05 blocks per set, and Dynasty Andrews ranks second in the league and 102nd nationally at 1.14 blocks per set — the only Hawk ranked in any individual national category.
ABOUT THE HORNETS
Delaware State is 15-8 and second in the MEAC behind Coppin State. The Hornets own the best defense in the conference and one of the best in the country, holding opponents to .149 hitting — eighth-best in Division I.
Hannah Sanders leads the MEAC in hitting percentage at .385, 45th nationally, and shares the conference lead with 79 total blocks. Aaliyah Mitchell is second in the league with 268 kills (3.44 per set) and 310.5 points. Libero Courtney Nix ranks third in the MEAC with 42 service aces and has 290 digs.
SERIES HISTORY
Delaware State leads the all-time series, 39-20, and swept the Spartans in Dover on Oct. 4. Maryland Eastern Shore holds a 46-20 edge, though Norfolk State took the most recent meeting 3-1 in Gill Gymnasium on Oct. 2, snapping a three-match series skid.
UP NEXT
Norfolk State begins a season-closing road swing at South Carolina State on Friday, Nov. 6, at 6 p.m. before heading to N.C. Central on Sunday, Nov. 8, at 1 p.m. The Spartans wrap the regular season at Howard on Friday, Nov. 13, at 6 p.m.
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.
