Princess Anne, Md. (Sep. 4, 2015) --- Delaware State won the first two sets, then dropped the next two before holding off North Carolina A&T for a thrilling 3-2 win at the UMES Courtyard Classic this afternoon.  The victory was the first of the season for the Hornets (1-4) and for interim head coach Whitney Johnson, who was a star at UMES before her coaching career.

DSU won the first set 25-23, and opened up a 2-0 lead with a 25-14 victory in the second set. The Aggies (0-2) staved off elimination by winning set three 25-19, and won 25-20 in the fourth set to tie the match.

The Hornets won the deciding fifth set 18-16.

Delaware State's Jasmine Jackson (sr.) posted her third double-double in five matches this season with a team-high 17 kills and 11 digs.

Jae Jackson (jr.) had 10 kills and five blocks, including a season-high three unassisted; while NaKia Jones (so.) contributed 10 kills to the win.

Setter Taylor Marshall (jr.) had a solid floor game for the Hornets, dishing out a career-high 44 assists. She also had a service ace and four digs.

DSU's  Alliyah McBean (so.) led all players with 18 digs.

The Hornets never trailed in the first set, but had to survive a late NCA&T rally. DSU led 12-7 after an ace by Marshall and a kill by Jasmine Jackson on consecutive points. The Aggies trailed 21-18, but scored five of the next seven points to tie the set at 23-23. The Hornets scored the last two points, including the set winner on a Jasmine Jackson block.

The Hornets scored eight consecutive points to open up a 12-4 lead in the second set. DSU pulled ahead    19-10 lead on a kill by Jones off a feed from Marshall; and scored the last five points to win the set. It was the Hornets' largest margin of victory in a set this season.

The third set was tied at 15-15 before NCA&T took control. Delaware State scored the first point of the  fourth set and never led again as the Aggies evened the match.

In the deciding fifth set, DSU was two points away from victory after opening up a 13-9 lead.  The Aggies rallied to score six of the next seven points and pulled ahead 15-14, and within a point of a stunning comeback win.  The Hornets stayed alive on a NCA&T attack error on the next point.

DSU opened up a 16-15 lead on a kill by Jae Jackson, but the Aggies scored the next point to again tie the set. 

NCA&T committed attack errors on the next two plays to hand the victory to the Hornets.

The Aggies committed 34 attack errors in the match, compared to 27 for Delaware State. The Hornets also had a better hitting percentage in the contest .196-to-.094.

DSU collected 57 digs and 14 blocks, while the Aggies had 54 and 10.

The win also tied Delaware State's total for all of last season (1-24), and snapped a 15-match losing streak dating back to the 2014 campaign.

The Hornets will take on host UMES on Saturday at 12 p.m., and wrap up the tournament against Quinnipiac tomorrow at 4 p.m.