BALTIMORE, Md. (Oct. 17, 2025)--On Friday, the Bears faced their crosstown and conference rivals, the Coppin State Lady Eagles, in a highly anticipated battle for the top spot in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC). Despite a strong showing, Morgan State fell in a competitive match, 3-1 (25-23, 19-25, 12-25, 23-25) at Hill Field House.
 
The Bears now sit at 7-9 overall and 4-2 in conference play, holding firmly onto the No. 2 spot in the MEAC standings. Coppin State improved to 13-9 and closed out the first half of the league schedule with an unblemished 7-0 mark. The win extended Coppin's season long winning streak to seven straight, while increasing its winning streak to 13 in a row over Morgan.
 
"We've done a lot of good things to prove why we belong in that spot, and even battling with the number one team here today," said Morgan State head coach Xiomara Ortiz.
 
Hill Field House was electric, as the Bears had a gym full of fans cheering them on in a lively atmosphere.
 
"It was a great atmosphere, and I think we got a little overwhelmed by that," coach added. "Some of our key players couldn't really execute because [Coppin] had a game plan against that, which we kind of expected, but we'll see them again."
 
Morgan State proved they could go toe-to-toe with one of the toughest teams in the league, finishing the night with 45 kills, 45 digs, and 38 assists. Daniela Ferreiraa led the Bears with 13 kills and 3 digs, while Aubrey Wilson finished with 11 kills. Freshman libero Tameray Wardlaw continued to impress, collecting a match-high 18 digs to anchor the defense. Isabelle Brown tallied a match-best 28 assists to go with eight digs and three kills.
 
Coppin State was led by TaKenya Stafford, who recorded a double-double with a match-high 18 kills to go with a team-high 14 digs. Charisse Atilano also had a double-double, finishing with 16 kills and 13 digs and Coco Figueroa added 13 digs. Azul Pilahg recorded 23 assists and Andrea Serrano finished with 19.
 
Serving on both sides played a role in Friday's outcome. The Bears had just three service aces, while committing 14 service errors. Coppin on the other hand tallied 13 aces and had eight serving errors.
 
Even in defeat, the Lady Bears showcased their depth, energy, and determination key traits that have fueled their rise in conference play. With a young roster continuing to develop and key veterans stepping into leadership roles, Morgan State looks poised to make a strong push through the rest of MEAC competition.
 
Despite the loss, the Lady Bears' resilience and competitive edge left a clear message that they're not done fighting for that top spot in the MEAC.
 
The Bears continue their conference play on Sunday, Oct. 19, when they head to Dover, Del., to face defending MEAC champion Delaware State at 1 p.m. at Memorial Hall.
 
Delaware State (7-13, 3-3 MEAC) swept visiting Maryland Eastern Shore on Friday evening.


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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.