NEWARK, Del. (Aug. 24, 2018)-The host Delaware Blue Hens opened up the season with a 3-0 (25-10, 25-22, 25-17) victory at home over Morgan State to cap off Day 1 of the Delaware Classic at Bob Carpenter Center.

Morgan State fell to 0-2 on the season, while the Blue Hens improved to 1-0 and upped their all-time series lead over the Lady Bears to 7-1.

Cailey Bracken recorded a double-double with a match-high 12 kills and 14 digs, while Courtnie Roberts also tallied a double-double with a match-high 41 assists and 11 digs. Brooke Robertson had 12 kills and Andie Hanus totaled a match-high 17 digs, as the Blue Hens finished the match with 54 digs. 

Delaware scored 11 straight points in the opening set and jumped out to an early 15-2 lead over the visiting Lady Bears en route to a 25-10 victory in the first set. The Blue Hens would hit .385 for the set, finishing with 13 kills on 26 attempts and three errors.

Three straight points by the Lady Bears gave the guests their largest lead of the match (11-7) and forced the Blue Hens to use a timeout in Set 2. After the break in action the hosts responded with a 4-0 run of its own to even the score at 11 all. Morgan State went up 16-13, but the Blue Hens would not let the guests pull away.

Delaware, which recorded 20 kills in the second set, would score five consecutive points to take an 18-16 lead and then scored three of the next four points to take a 20-17 advantage. Trailing 23-20, Morgan State would get back-to-back kills from Roi Wallace and Cristen Coryatt to pull within 23-22. But the hosts would score the final two points, including a service ace from Maria Bellinger to end the set, 25-22 and take a 2-0 cushion. 

The Blue Hens closed out the match by recording 17 kills in Set 3. Delaware wheeled off four straight points to increase its lead to 18-10. Morgan State got as close as six points (22-16), before Delaware scored three of the final four points for the 25-17 victory.  

Coryatt led the Lady Bears with 11 kills and added eight digs. Jasmin Hubbard recorded 16 digs, while Roi Wallace tallied 22 assists, seven digs and recorded three kills on three attempts.

Morgan State returns to action on Saturday evening when it closes out the tournament against Villanova. First serve is at 7 p.m.