Dover, Del. (Sep. 20, 2016) --- Delaware State won the opening set for the first time in a match this season, but failed to hold on in a 3-1 loss to St. Francis Brooklyn in the Hornets' 2016 home opener in Memorial Hall this evening.
DSU won the first set 25-21 before the Terriers bounced back to win the next three 25-18, 25-21 and 25-20.
Sydney Armbrister (fr.) and Sabina Szmajduch (jr.) led the Hornets with nine kills each. DSU's Gabriella Enriquez (jr.) topped all players with 29 assists, while teammate Aaliyah McBean recorded a match-high 17 digs.
Domenique Gerard had 11 kills, 10 digs and five services aces to lead the Terriers.
Delaware State trailed 14-9 in the opening set before storming back.
The Hornets scored seven of the next eight points, and opened up a 16-15 lead on a service error by the Terriers.
Delaware State trailed before 18-17 finishing strong.
The Hornets scored eight of the last 11 points to win the set, Armbrister had two kills and Morgan Tennant recorded an ace to key the late DSU rally,
St. Francis scored the first nine points and never looked back in the second set. DSU could get no closer than seven points in the rest of the set.
The Hornets led early in the third set, opening up a 6-4 lead on a kill by Enriquez off a feed from McBean.
St. Francis rallied to lead by as many as five in the third set, but DSU closed to within 22-20 on a kill by Armbrister. The Terriers scored four of the last five points to claim the set.
The Hornets trailed by four early in the fourth set, but fought back to tie the score at 9-9. St. Francis pulled away again, opening up a 15-9 lead, but DSU used a 9-4 run to pull to within a point. Armbrister capped off the Hornet rally with a kill off an Enriquez feed to cut the Terriers' lead to 19-18.
St. Francis scored six of the last eight points to win the set and match.
Delaware State had a .068 attack percentage in the match, tallying 36 kills and 28 errors on 118 attacks. The Terriers had 44 winners and 28 errors on 122 attempts for a .131 attack percentage.
Delaware State had a season high 13 blocks in the contest, highlighted by Jae Jackson's six (one solo).
DSU fell to 0-12 this season, while St. Francis improved to 5-11.
The Hornets will return to action on Sunday for the MEAC North opener against Howard. The match is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. in Memorial Hall.
