NORFOLK, Va. — Norfolk State opened with a dominant first set and twice drew even in the fourth, but Delaware State served 16 aces on the way to a 3-1 win (14-25, 25-13, 25-20, 25-22) on Senior Day at Gill Gymnasium.

Gabrielle Gilbert led all players with 16 kills, hitting .306 for 17.5 points. Jasmine Mataira handed out 30 assists with two aces and seven digs, and Jala Dixon added six kills at .364 with three block assists.

The Spartans (9-15, 5-6 MEAC) actually out-hit Delaware State (17-8, 8-3 MEAC) .190 to .185 and matched the Hornets with 9.0 team blocks, but the serve-receive battle decided it. Delaware State's 16 aces came against 16 Norfolk State reception errors.

Norfolk State honored five seniors in a pregame ceremony: Catori Crawford, Jala Dixon, Briana Ellis, Gabrielle Gilbert and Kaden Sanders. All five were on the floor in the match, with Gilbert leading the way at the net, Dixon and Ellis combining for seven block assists and Crawford and Sanders each adding five digs.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Set 1 (NSU 25-14): Norfolk State controlled the opener from the start. Kyleigh Moore served three straight points, including an ace and a Berry-Gilbert block, for a 9-4 lead, and Gilbert added kills to push it to 15-9. Briana Ellis then delivered a four-point service run — an Ava Berry kill, a Moore block and two Delaware State attack errors — to make it 20-10. A Moore ace stretched it to 23-13 and the set ended on a Hornets service error.

Set 2 (DSU 25-13): The Hornets flipped the match with one service run, as Ailena Mykins served six consecutive points with three aces to turn a 5-3 edge into 11-3. A Jazeli Vandenburgh ace and kills from Gilbert and Dixon got the Spartans within 14-9, but Paige Ahakuelo answered with a three-point run of her own and Mykins closed the set with three straight Hornet kills.

Set 3 (DSU 25-20): Norfolk State led 7-5 on an Ellis ace and a Dixon kill and stayed within a point at 13-12 before Amanda Santos Juliao served four in a row — three of them aces — for an 18-12 Delaware State lead. The Spartans kept scrapping, getting a Gilbert kill and a Berry-Gilbert block to cut it to 23-18, but could get no closer.

Set 4 (DSU 25-22): Down 11-5, Norfolk State put together its best stretch of the afternoon as Mataira served five straight points — two aces, a Gilbert-Ellis block and two Gilbert kills — to tie it at 11. Delaware State pushed back ahead 14-12, and Gilbert answered with a kill and set up Ellis for another to level it at 14. The Hornets edged in front again and led 24-21 before a Gilbert kill made it a two-point match, but Hannah Sanders ended it with a kill.

SPARTAN STANDOUTS

Isis Castille made the most of one set, hitting .375 with four kills. Berry contributed three kills at .400 and five block assists, while Ellis added four block assists and an ace. Moore finished with six kills, two aces and seven digs, and Aliyah Torres led the Spartans with eight digs.

Sanders was nearly unstoppable for Delaware State, hitting .692 with nine kills and four block involvements. Santos Juliao added six kills and five aces, Jalia Dublin had seven kills, and Myracle Davis hit .444 with six kills and four block assists. Mykins finished with 18 assists and four aces, Ahakuelo had 13 assists, four kills and three aces, and Courtney Nix led all players with 13 digs.

UP NEXT

Norfolk State closes the regular season with three straight on the road, starting at SC State on Friday, Nov. 6, at 6 p.m. The Spartans then travel to NC Central for a 1 p.m. first serve on Sunday, Nov. 8, before wrapping up at Howard on Friday, Nov. 13. The MEAC Volleyball Championship follows in Baltimore from Nov. 20-22.

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