Box Score GREENVILLE, N.C. (Sept. 7, 2013)-For the second time in three matches this weekend the Lady Bears volleyball team found themselves needing to win a fourth set to force a fifth and decisive frame. Unlike its match on Friday with Loyola Chicago, this time the Lady Bears were able to complete the comeback, defeating The Citadel, 3-2 (20-25, 25-14, 15-25, 25-22, 15-9) on Saturday in the final match of the East Carolina Classic at Minges Coliseum.
With the win, the Lady Bears finished the tournament in third-place and picked up their first win of the season.
Zuri Smith, who was named to the East Carolina Classic All-Tournament team, led Morgan State with a match-high 15 kills, while
Samantha Prescott added a double-double with 12 digs and 10 kills. Ngebui (Natalie) Chafeh also recorded a double-double with 39 assists and 11 digs.
Tamara Leslie had a team-high 14 digs and
Shayna Hunt-Colon also reached double digits in digs with 11.
The Citadel (0-6) was led by Katie Briggs, who had a team-high 12 kills and Megan Sowell added 11. Rachel Keefer notched a double-double with 37 assists and 10 digs, while Erin Bucherl had a match-high 15 digs. Ise d'Angelo added 10 digs in the loss.
Morgan State (1-5) fell behind 21-16 in the opening set, before Prescott tallied three straight kills to bring the Lady Bears within 21-19. However the Citadel would score the remaining four points needed to claim the 25-20 victory. It would be the Bulldogs' first set victory this season in 16 sets played.
The Lady Bears responded in the second set with a 25-14 victory to even the score at 1-1. Morgan State broke open a close match by going on a 6-3 run to take a 17-12 lead on a kill by Natalie Chafeh. A kill by Citadel made it a 17-13 score and that would be all the Bulldogs would get. Morgan State would close out the set scoring the final eight points in a row for the 25-14 win.
The Citadel fell behind 7-3 in the Set 3, before putting together an 8-0 run to take a 11-7 advantage. Three straight kills from Smith cut Citadel's lead to 18-13, but the Lady Bears would get no closer. The Bulldogs would score the next three points in the midst of a 7-2 run to win the set, 25-15 and take a 2-1 lead.
The action in Set 4 was back-and-forth, before the Lady Bears took the lead for good, 23-22 on a service ace by Leslie.
Janelle Wilson then ended the set with a kill to give Morgan State the 25-22 victory and force a fifth set.
In the fifth and final set, Morgan State fell behind 7-0 with The Citadel building its lead with the help of five Morgan State attack errors. The Lady Bears then countered with an 8-0 run to take a one-point lead, as the teams changed sides. The Citadel would even the score at 8-8, before Morgan scored three straight points to take an 11-8 lead. The Bulldogs would score one more point, as Morgan State closed out the set and match scoring the final four points for the 15-9 victory.
Morgan State returns to action next weekend, when they take part in the Lafayette-Lehigh Crosstown Tournament (Sept. 13-14), co-hosted by Lafayette and Lehigh. The Lady Bears will face Lehigh on Friday, Sept. 13 in Bethlehem, Pa., before taking on Quinnipiac and Lafayette on Saturday in Easton, Pa.
