DOVER, Del. - After giving up the first two sets, the Delaware State University volleyball team rallied to take the third before failing to complete a comeback in a 1-3 (22-25, 21-25, 25-23, 23-25) loss to previously winless Morgan State Friday evening in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference play at Memorial Hall.
Sophomore Edarkis Branch (Los Angeles, Calif.) collected a career-high 15 kills with a .286 attack percentage to lead the way for the Hornets (4-11, 1-2 MEAC). MSU's Arianna Hayden tallied a match-high 18 kills in the Bears' win.
Morgan State (1-16, 1-3 MEAC) jumped out to a quick 9-4 lead in the first set to force a DSU timeout. The momentum continued to stay on the Bears' side as they would eventually go up by as much as 21-15. Two kills from Delaware State junior Jessica Croucher (Brisbane, Australia) and two MSU attack errors pulled the Hornets within two at 19-21. An ace from Janelle Wilson gave the Bears a 24-20 lead, forcing another Del State timeout. A block from seniors Laisha Davis (Riviera Beach, Fla.) and Bel Fakaosi (Salt Lake City, Utah) and an ace from Fakaosi kept DSU in it before a kill from Morgan State's Tamara Leslie gave the Bears the 25-22 set one victory.
MSU continued to control the tempo, taking an 8-4 set two advantage. The Hornets would come within one at 8-9, but that is as close as they would get in the set. An attack error from Croucher gave the Bears a 23-17 lead before DSU went on a 4-1 run, but a Hayden kill put Morgan State ahead at 25-21.
Looking to stay away from a three-game sweep, the Hornets opened set three with a 9-0 lead with Fakaosi at the service line. The run included four kills from freshman Jasmine Jackson (South Riding, Va.). DSU worked their way to a 14-3 advantage to force the Bears to use up their two timeouts early in the set. The Bears slowly crept back into the game, eventually pulling within three at 18-15. Two consecutive kills from Branch put the Hornets up, 23-18, but MSU responded with three straight points to come within 23-21. Del State forced a fourth set as a kill from junior Brooke Redmon (Warrenton, Va.) and attack error on Hayden gave the Hornets the 25-21 win.
The fourth set was up for grabs as there were 14 ties. Coming out of a timeout and down, 19-21, the Hornets received two kills from Redmon and a Croucher ace to go ahead, 22-21. The Bears were able to pull ahead, 23-22, before a kill from Jackson tied things for the two teams. Del State continued to hold hope, but things didn't go their way as Morgan State took the 25-23 victory with a kill from Hayden and a Jackson attack error.
Jackson finished the game with nine kills on a .353 attack percentage with seven digs and one block assist.
Fakaosi recorded a team-high 37 assists to go along with two aces and eight digs. Croucher led the Hornets with 12 digs in addition to seven kills, three aces and two blocks.
Delaware State continues their homestand Sunday with a 3 p.m. match against MEAC foe Coppin State.
---DSU WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL---
