BALTIMORE, Md. (Sept. 23, 2022)—Playing in front of the home fans for the first time this season, the Morgan State volleyball team opened the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) slate with a tough 3-2 (25-14, 17-25, 25-18, 16-25, 15-10) loss to North Carolina Central (NCCU) on Friday afternoon at Hill Field House.
 
The loss dropped the Lady Bears to 1-14 overall and 0-1 in the MEAC, while the Eagles improved to 2-9, 1-0 MEAC. The win was the third straight for NCCU over Morgan State to even the all-time series at 3-3.
 
Morgan State was led by Jourdan Page's match-high 14 kills. Trinity Carruthers finished with 19 assists, eight digs and hit .667 with two kills. Mackenzie Jefferson added 16 assists and eight digs. Alyssa Sampson had 20 digs and Tyasia McDuffie added 10 digs.
 
Trailing 2-1 after three sets, Morgan State scored the first three points of the third set and then scored five straight in part of a 7-1 spurt to take a 13-5 lead. The hosts advantage increased to 21-11 after back-to-back kills from Madison Grace and Justyus Jackson completed a mini 5-1 run by Morgan. NCCU got within 22-16, but the Lady Bears would score the final three points for the 25-16 victory, forcing a fifth set.
 
Morgan State held a 6-2 advantage in Set 5, before the Eagles put together an 8-1 run to take control at 10-8. After the Lady Bears pulled within a point at 11-10, the Eagles closed out the match scoring the final four points for the 15-11 set victory and 3-2 match win.
 
The Eagles were led by Tori Wilson, who finished with 13 kills and hit .400 for the match. Vanila Pulu-Suliafu recorded a double-double with a match-high 33 assists and added a team-high 15 digs. Loren Johnson had 14 digs and Kamren Harper added 12.
 
Morgan State will return to the court on Sunday, Sept. 25 when it hosts South Carolina State in a MEAC contest at 1 p.m. at Hill Field House. The Lady Bulldogs (0-11, 0-1 MEAC) are coming off a 3-0 loss at Coppin State on Friday.
 
 
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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.