WASHINGTON, D.C. (Oct. 16, 2011)-The Morgan State volleyball team returned to action on Sunday evening with a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) North Division match against rival Howard in the newly renovated Burr Gymnasium, thus becoming the first athletic event since it reopened. The last time Morgan State was a part of a Howard reopening was on Oct. 6, 2006 when the Lady Bears spoiled the festivities with a 3-1 defeat of the Lady Bison after Burr had been closed while the floor was being refurbished.
This time things would be different, as the host Lady Bison defeated Morgan State 3-2 (22-25, 25-19, 26-24, 29-31, 15-7), thus preventing Morgan State from spoiling their celebration for a second time in five years. The loss would be the fourth straight this season for the Lady Bears and third consecutive conference loss. Howard's win was also its sixth over the Lady Bears in the last seven meetings.
Howard's Tosin Elebute notched a match-high 28 of the Lady Bison's 54 kills and added a match-high 15 digs to record a double-double and Jasmine Tipton added 14 digs to help Howard win its home opener. Jasmine King and Stephanie Shultis finished with 30 and 19 assists, respectively, for the Lady Bison, who improved to 4-18, 3-2 MEAC.
After taking the first set 25-22, Morgan State (3-17, 1-3 MEAC) then dropped the next two sets. Trailing 2-1 after three sets, the visiting Lady Bears regrouped in the fourth to claim a 31-29 victory. Down 29-28, Morgan State's Kierra Outlin evened the score at 29 all with a kill. An attack error by Elebute, followed by a kill from #Ngebui (Natalie) Chafeh# gave the Lady Bears the win and set up a fifth set.
Morgan State jumped out 2-0, before the host Lady Bison countered with a 5-0 run. Howard's lead would grow to 8-4 when the two teams switched sides. From there it was all Howard, as it increased its cushion to 12-5 on a Gabrielle Martin kill en route to a 15-7 set victory.
Morgan State was led by Outlin, who tallied a team-high 13 kills and had nine digs. Erin Cox, who hadn't recorded a kill in the previous six matches since taking over as the team's libero, returned to her outside hitter position this evening and recorded 10 kills, eight digs and led the team with four service aces. It was her first kills in nearly a month since recording five against Temple on Sept. 17. Ashley Johnson and Janelle Wilson each added nine kills, while Chafeh chipped in with eight kills and a match-high hitting percentage of .545. Chafeh also had a match-high 32 assists, nine digs and two blocks. Kylin Ellison tallied a team-high 12 digs and had five assists.
Morgan State begins a season-long three-match homestand this Wednesday, Oct. 19, when it plays host to Hampton. First serve is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Hill Field House. The Lady Bison will visit American on Wednesday for a non-conference match against the Eagles at 7 p.m. at Bender Arena.
