NSU volleyball (5-6) takes the win against the Delaware State Hornets (9-9) in straight sets at Gills Gymnasium on October 1. The Lady Spartans are currently undefeated in the MEAC Conference and are tied with Coppin State for the #1 ranking.
“They’re just playing, they’re just doing their jobs so I’m just really happy for the girls. It’s an exciting time to be a Spartan volleyball player,” said NSU volleyball Head Coach, Kathy Bullock.
The first set started off with a Spartan’s serve, ending with a kill from Hornets right-side hitter Martyna Kmuk, giving them the first point. Soon after, the Spartans got their first point from an attacking error by the Hornets.
The two teams kept the score close in the beginning until the Spartans went on a 3-0 scoring run, including an attacking error on the Hornets and a kill by outside hitters Shonte Seale and Gabrielle Gilbert. The Hornets closed the gap, going on their own 3-0 run with a bad set by the Spartans and two kills by opposite hitter Julia Kneba.
The teams battled toward the end for the lead, with a rally taking place that ended with a Spartan point by middle blocker Grace Smith.
Closing out the set, the Hornets fought hard with a service ace by Kneba and a kick save to keep the set going, but the Spartans finished the set 24-22 with a kill by Gilbert.
The second set started with a rally between the two teams, which ended with the Hornets first point of the set from a kill by Valeria Otero, assisted by setter Naz Tuncay. Followed right after was the Spartans first point of the set from a kill by Smith.
The Spartans took the lead from an attacking error on the Hornets. The teams tied multiples, from a service ace and kill by Otero, an attacking error on the Spartans, and a service error on the Spartans.
The Spartans kept the lead and spaced the score out as they went on a 3-0 scoring run with a kill by Gilbert then an attacking error and a bad set by the Hornets. The teams went back-to-back scoring, but the Spartans took the set 25-19.
The Hornets started the third set off 2-0 from an attack error by the Spartans and a service ace by Otero. The Spartans got their first point from a kill by Gilbert followed by an attacking error on the Hornets to tie the score.
While tying multiple times, the Hornets kept the lead in the set until the Spartans got a point from an attacking error on the Hornets, then a service ace by McCree.
The score came close in the end when the Hornets middle blocker Kelsie Dawson got 2 blocks, making the score 23-23, then later 24-24. The Spartans won the set and the game 26-24 from a kill by McCree and a service ace by Seale.
Seale had 12 kills, 7 digs, and 1 ace. Gilbert had 14 kills, Smith had 3 blocks, McCree had 37 assists, and libero Fabiana Mucciola had 15 digs. Otero had 9 kills, 15 digs, and 3 aces. Dawson had 2 blocks and Tuncay had 17 assists.
“The highlight for me was us winning in 3 against the defending champs from last season. It feels wonderful, because we’ve been building towards this since I got here,” said Coach Bullock.
NSU takes on the Coppin State University Eagles (14-3) at 6:00 p.m. on October 6. This is the Spartans Breast Cancer Awareness game and is being held at Gills Gymnasium.
Spartan Echo 