WASHINGTON, D.C. (Sept. 14, 2022)—Makila Billingsley hit for a team-high .444 and totaled a team-leading nine kills, but it wasn't enough, as the Lady Bears fell on the road to American, 3-0 (25-17, 25-12, 25-19) in a non-conference match on Wednesday evening at Bender Arena.
 
Alyssa Sampson finished with 11 digs to go with three assists and two service aces, while Tyasia McDuffie added eight digs. Mackenzie Jefferson totaled 12 assists, seven digs and a kill in the loss.  
 
American, which improved to 7-3 with the win, was led by Zeynep Uzen's match-high 11 kills. Uzen would also record her 1,000th career kill during the match. Carlie Fikse, who hit for a match-high .769, finished with 10 kills and Katie Putney added eight kills on a hitting percentage of .667. Maya Mrus recorded a match-best 14 digs and Inbal Peleg totaled 23 assists and a match-high four service aces.
 
Morgan State (0-11) used a 6-1 run in the opening set to pull within 15-13. The host Eagles responded with two straight points and later scored six consecutive points to close out the set and claim a 25-17 victory.
 
In Set 2, American used a 10-5 spurt to increase its lead to 16-9. A mini 3-1 run by Morgan State cut the deficit to 17-12, but the Eagles responded this time closing out the set with eight straight points to take a 2-0 lead, following a 25-12 win.
 
Both teams would play their best volleyball in Set 3. The Lady Bears would record a set-best 12 kills, while hitting .194, also a high for the evening. American, however would also record set highs with 15 kills and hit a high of .419. It was tight throughout the midway point of the set, as Morgan State answered a 2-0 run by the host Eagles with two straight points of its own, capped off by an ace from McDuffie to even the score at 12 all. American would score the next three points in the midst of a 7-2 run to extend its lead to 19-14. The Lady Bears pulled within three points at 21-18, but American would seal the deal scoring the next two points and four of the final five points for the 25-18 set victory.
 
American held a 7-5 blocking advantage over Morgan State. Allie Burke finished with a match-high six blocks, including a solo, while Putney added four assisted blocks for American. Melanie Battle and Billingsley each had three assisted blocks to lead Morgan State.
 
Morgan State returns to action this weekend to close out its 2022 non-conference slate when it travels to Fairfax, Va. for the George Mason Invitational (Sept. 16-17). It will be the fourth and final preseason tournament for the Lady Bears this season. Morgan will face fellow Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) foe Maryland Eastern Shore in Friday's match at 4:30 p.m. The contest will not count toward the MEAC standings. On Saturday, Morgan State will face New Hampshire at 11 a.m. and will close out the tournament against host George Mason at 6 p.m. live on ESPN+. All three contests will be played at the Recreation Athletic Complex.
 
 
FOLLOW MORGAN STATE ATHLETICS IN CYBERSPACE 
There are many ways to keep up with MSU athletics online and on the go:
• Visit www.morganstatebears.com, the official web site of Bears athletics, for news, schedules, stats, bios and more. 
• Follow us on social media:
Facebook: /MorganStateBears
Twitter: @MorganStBears
Instagram: /MorganStateBears
 
ABOUT MORGAN
Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified high research (R2) institution offering nearly 140 academic programs leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate. As Maryland's Preeminent Public Urban Research University, and the only university to have its entire campus designated as a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu.