CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (Sept. 1, 2017)-Morgan State took a 2-0 sets lead over Evansville, but was unable to complete the match victory, as the Purple Aces won the remaining three sets to win the match, 3-0 (26-28, 23-25, 25-22, 25-12, 18-16) on Friday afternoon at Show Me Center. This was the first meeting between the teams.

Morgan State (0-5) held a 13-7 lead in the first set, but the Purple Aces bounced back to even the score at 16-16. From that point on the teams would be back-and-forth trading points. A kill by Keana Browne gave the Lady Bears a 27-26 lead and Natashia Barker ended it with a service ace for the 28-26 win.

The Purple Aces (5-0) would take a 7-4 lead, but Morgan State would respond with four straight points to take an 8-7 lead in the second set. Morgan State went on a 6-1 spurt to take an 18-12 lead over the Purple Aces. Evansville would not go away, using a 4-0 run to get back in the set and trail 18-16. The Lady Bears would hold a 22-19 lead, but Evansville would score three straight to even the score at 22 all. Morgan State would eventually hold off the Purple Aces, 25-22.

Both teams traded two-to-three points throughout Set 3. With the set tied at 16 apiece, the Purple Aces used a 4-0 run to take a 20-16 advantage. Back-to-back kills by Cristen Coryatt and Barker brought the Lady Bears within 20-18. Another mini 2-0 spurt by Morgan State cut the Evansville lead to 21-20. That would be as close as the Lady Bears would get, as Evansville went on to win, 25-22.
 
Morgan State jumped out to a 5-2 lead, but the Purple Aces counted with a 4-0 run to take a 7-5 advantage. Evansville would then put together a 9-1 spurt to increase its lead to 17-8. The Purple Aces closed out the match scoring four of the final five points for the 25-12 victory to force a fifth and decisive set.
 
The Purple Aces were riding the momentum of back-to-back set victories and scored the first three points of the fifth set. Morgan State regrouped and scored the next four points to take a 4-3 lead. It was nip and tuck from there, until back-to-back kills from Michaela Collins gave the Lady Bears a 14-13 lead. Morgan State held a 16-15 lead, but the Lady Bears were unable to put the match away. The Purple Aces would score three straight points, including a block by Erlicia Griffith and Rocio Fortuny to seal the 18-16 victory.
 
Coryatt led Morgan State with a double-double of 17 kills and 13 digs, while Barker also recorded a double-double with 14 kills and 11 digs. Browne totaled 13 kills and Jasmin Hubbard finished with a match-high 20 digs. Roi Wallace collected a career- and match-high 50 assists.
 
Evansville's Mildrelis Rodriguez finished with a match-high 20 kills and added 10 digs. Rachel Tam had 14 kills and Cassie Brooks tallied 15 digs. Allana McInnis notched 33 assists and Taylor Jones added 17.
 
Morgan State and Evansville each recorded 8.0 blocks for the match. The Lady Bears were led by Monette Daniels' and Browne, who each totaled four blocks. Evansville was led by Griffith's match-high eight blocks, while Fortuny had six.
 
Morgan State closes out the Redhawks Invitational with an 11 a.m. contest on Saturday against the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff. The match-up will be the first-ever between the two Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) programs. The Lady Bears and Morgan State head coach Ramona Riley-Bozier are a perfect 6-0 against members of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC).

The last time the Lady Bears faced a SWAC opponent was Sept. 17, 1999, a 3-0 victory over Prairie View A&M.