BALTIMORE, Md. (Sept. 26, 2025)--The Morgan State volleyball team began the 2025 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) campaign with a 3-1 (25-14, 25-19, 14-25, 25-21) victory over visiting Norfolk State on Friday evening at Hill Field House.
 
The win was the Bears' first MEAC season opening win in four years, while ending a season-long five-match losing skid, as well as a two-match losing streak to the Spartans.
 
Morgan State improved to 4-8 on the season, while Norfolk State fell to 1-13.
 
Daniela Ferreira led three Morgan State players in double figures in kills with 15, while Hanna Nemeth and Jada Williams added 11 and 10, respectively. Mikaela Esparza had 10 digs and Isabella Brown finished with a match-high 26 assists.
 
The Bears started the match off electric, dominating the first set 25-14. Senior Daniella Ferreira dominated accounting for five kills in the set alone. She was joined by junior Jada Williams who tallied four kills of her own. The Bears carried this momentum into the second set as freshman Zayda Thomas and junior Hanna Nemeth stepped up combining for six kills in the second.
 
As the third set rolled around the Spartans had gained their second wind. Junior Gabrielle Gilbert led the Spartan charge as they jumped out to a quick 8-2 lead to start the 3rd set. The Bears began to fight but the 11-point Spartan advantage proved to be too much for the Bears. Norfolk stole the third set on the road and was poised for a comeback.
 
With such a key victory on the line for both of these programs everyone in the arena knew how important this set was. Both teams opened the fourth going blow for blow with neither gaining a clear advantage. Halfway through the fourth set, the Bears led by three points, but the Spartans held the momentum. The Bears then turned to Ferreira, who took over the fourth and led the Bears to the win.
 
"It's a great jumpstart, to start the conference season off with a W," said Morgan State head coach Xiamora Ortiz. "That means we're starting off with good energy and good flow. We're starting off in the right direction."
 
The Bears will look for their first 2-0 MEAC start, since 2020, when they head to the Nation's Capital on Sunday, Sept. 28 to face the Howard Bison at 1 p.m. at Burt Gymnasium in Washington, D.C. The match will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
 
Howard (6-5, 0-1 MEAC) is coming off a 3-2 loss at home to Coppin State in its MEAC opener on Friday night.

 
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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.