Block Party: Morgan State recorded 24 blocks Friday evening at Norfolk State, including a career- and match-high seven blocks from Zuri Smith (19).
Morgan State 3, Norfolk State 2
NORFOLK, Va. (Oct. 28, 2011)-Kierra Outlin recorded a team-high 15 kills, while Erin Cox, Janelle Wilson and Ashley Johnson all added nine kills as visiting Morgan State spoiled Norfolk State's Homecoming with a 3-2 (25-15, 17-25, 23-25, 29-27, 15-13) come-from-behind victory Friday evening at Gill Gymnasium.
Morgan State (7-17, 5-3 MEAC) improved to 16-1 all-time against the Spartans and extended its season-long winning streak to four, it's longest since a five-match winning streak in 2007.
The Lady Bears, who hadn't played since a 3-0 sweep of Norfolk State last Sunday in Baltimore, would not have it as easy this time around. After winning the opening set, the Lady Bears would drop the next two and fought back from a 26-25 deficit in the fourth set to win 29-27.
Morgan State jumped out to a 6-1 lead and held an 18-12 advantage in the fourth set. But the hosts would eventually use a 10-4 run to even the score at 22 all and took its first lead of the game 26-25. Back-to-back kills by Outlin and Johnson put Morgan State up 27-26, before a kill by Norfolk State's Jasmin Flowers evened the score at 27. The Lady Bears reclaimed the lead 28-27 after a service error by the Spartans and Kylin Ellison ended the set with a service ace for the win and even the match at 2-2.
In the fifth set the Lady Bears overcame a three-point deficit to score the next four points to take a 4-3 lead. The teams would trade the next seven points and the Spartans finally reclaimed the lead at 9-7. Morgan State held a 13-12 lead following a block assist by #Ngebui (Natalie) Chafeh# and Zuri Smith. Beatriz Ferreira would tie the score at 13 with a kill, but Morgan State would score the next two points on a kill by Outlin and an attack error by Norfolk State for the 15-13 win.
Norfolk State (7-13, 3-5 MEAC) was led by Ferreira, who totaled a match-high 24 kills, while Charlotte Armstead had 12 kills. Adriana Ramos finished with a double-double with 11 kills and 13 digs and tallied a match-high four service aces. Tracey Copley led Norfolk State with 14 digs and Paige Gary-Canty finished with 10. Kristen Burt notched a match-high 46 assists.
Chafeh finished with 42 assists for the Lady Bears to go with seven kills and eight digs. Cox led Morgan State with a team-high 12 digs. Morgan State held a 12.0-6.0 advantage in blocks over Norfolk State with Smith leading the way with a match-high seven, while Wilson added five. The Spartans were led by Armstead's four blocks.
The Lady Bears return to action on Sunday, Oct. 30, when they visit the Lady Pirates of Hampton in a MEAC North Division match at Holland Hall.
