Morgan State University Athletics

BALTIMORE, Md. (Sept. 13, 2026)--The Morgan State volleyball team concluded the 2026 Battle of the Beltway with a competitive matchup against visiting George Washington on Sunday afternoon.
 
Despite finishing with their second highest kills total of the season (42) and tying a season-high with 36 assists, the Bears ultimately fell short to the Revolutionaries in a thrilling four-set match, 3-1 (25-15, 10-25, 29-31, 13-25) at Hill Field House.
 
Senior Jada Williams had a career-setting match, finishing with a career- and match-high 22 kills and a career-high 14 digs to record her first double-double of the season.
 
"Jada Williams lit it up today. She's consistently been a role player for us, a leader on the court," said Morgan State head coach Xiomara Ortiz. "But today, she really took the team on her back."
 
"I give all glory to God. I have been trying to navigate my way through a new position, and having some success as well as some failures," said Williams. "I have been praying on it, trusting Him, trusting my training, and I give a lot of props to my setter Isabelle Brown. She puts everyone in awesome positions to be successful."
 
Brown contributed five kills, 33 assists, 14 digs, and one ace, while Tre' Niya Miller hit .500, recording six kills and 10 attacks for the Bears.
 
Morgan State (1-8) came out and earned a 25-15 victory in Set 1, recording 12 kills and hitting .216, while holding the Revolutionaries to -0.057 hitting and a set-low seven kills. George Washington bounced back in the second set, holding the host Bears to just four kills and a -0.037 hitting percentage, to even the match at 1-1, following a 25-10 victory.
 
The Bears responded with a competitive third set, putting together their best offensive performance of the match. Morgan State hit .474 with 19 kills and only one attack error on 38 attempts. However, George Washington would edge the Bears, 31-29.
 
"Ultimately, I think we showed a lot of heart. We showed that we can battle any team," said Ortiz.
 
Williams added, "The third set was a battle and a fun one. That set was definitely a momentum boost for whoever pulled it out in the end, but we were ready to come back and fight. We weren't able to execute as planned in the fourth, but we take that as a learning lesson and keep going."
 
George Washington's Cayla Cogan led the offensive attack with 20 kills on 38 attempts, hitting a .421. Cogan also recorded five digs and two blocks. Nicanora Clarke hit .359 and had a double-double with 18 kills and 11 digs, while Abby Markwork also had a double-double with 47 assists and 13 digs. Lydia Zeng finished with a match-high 17 digs.
 
Morgan State held an 8.0-7.0 advantage in blocks. Aubrey Wilson led the way with a match-high five blocks and Miller added three.  
 
The Bears are set to play host Ohio University on Friday, Sept. 18 at 10 a.m. in Athens, Ohio, as part of the Bobcat Invitational. Morgan State will then face Mercyhurst at 4:30 p.m. on Friday before concluding the invitational against UNC Asheville in the finale at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 19.
 
Ortiz reflects on the importance of the team's discipline as they prepare to face Ohio in next week's match.
 
"Now it's just on us to be able to stay disciplined in high-pressure moments."
 
 
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ABOUT MORGAN
Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified high research (R2) institution offering more than 150 baccalaureate, master's degree, doctorate and certificate programs. 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.