DOVER, Del. -Sophomore Edarkis Branch (Los Angeles, Calif.) tallied a double double of 13 kills and 10 digs but the Delaware State University volleyball team lost momentum as the night wore on in a 3-1 (22-25, 27-25, 11-25, 17-25) loss to Norfolk State at Memorial Hall Friday evening.

With her match-high 13 kills, Branch hit a .194 attack percentage in addition to one block assist.  Branch has collected 40 kills over the last three games for DSU (4-13, 1-4 MEAC).

Junior Jessica Croucher (Brisbane, Australia) also tallied double figure kills with 12 on a .148 attack percentage.  She just missed a double double with nine digs in addition to two block assists, one ace and one assist.

The Hornets and Spartans (6-17, 3-1 MEAC) kept things close in the first set, exchanging the lead six times and posting 14 tie scores.  Norfolk State pulled out the 25-22 victory with a kill from Jessica Johnson.

The story was the same in the second set, with seven different leads and 14 ties, but the outcome was different as Delaware State held out for the 27-25 win.  The Hornets posted five service aces in the set, with three coming from freshman Natalia Mendieta (Aurora, Ill.).  Down, 22-24, DSU finished the set with kills from Croucher (two) and junior Brooke Redmon (Warrenton, Va.).  Croucher also recorded an ace while Redmon and Branch blocked a ball from NSU's Charlotte Armstead to end the set.

Whatever momentum the Hornets carried in set two completely disappeared in the third as the Spartans recorded 11 straight points en route to the 25-11 win.  During the run, Norfolk State's Nicole Gassner tallied three aces.

Delaware State stayed close in the fourth set, but the Spartans held the energy and eventually took the 25-17 win.

Armstead and Goda Jankauskaite led Norfolk State with nine kills each while Noelle Eagles collected 11 digs.  Kessner finished with 18 assists and five aces.

Hornet senior Bel Fakaosi (Salt Lake City, Utah) posted 35 assists.

Delaware State wraps up their four-game homestand Sunday with a 3 p.m. match against Hampton.