Washington, D.C. (Nov. 21, 2021) – Delaware State's bid for the school's first MEAC volleyball championship in 35 years ended in frustrating fashion with a 3-1 loss to Howard in the conference tournament final at HU's Burr Gym this evening.
The Bison bounced back to claim their sixth MEAC championship in the last seven years and earn the league's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament playoffs.
Delaware State got off to a good start in the match, winning the first set 25-20, but Howard rebounded to claim the second set 25-21 to even the contest.
The Bison led by as many as nine points in set three and held off a late Delaware State charge to win 25-20 and open up a 2-1 lead in the match.
There were eight ties and four lead changes in the fourth set before Howard pulled away for another 25-20 win to complete the comeback.
The loss snapped a six-match win streak for Delaware State, which fell to 26-4 this season, with two of the defeats to the Bison.
Howard won its 12^th in a row against MEAC opponents to improve to 18-12 this season.
Delaware State enjoyed its best regular season in team history this year, highlighted by a team-record 26 wins, a share of the MEAC regular season title, a perfect 13-0 mark at home,  a record 16 straight wins and 20 shutout victories.
DSU's Bruce Atkinson was selected as the 2021 MEAC Coach of the Year, while Alondra Maldonado was named to the All-MEAC First Team, and teammates Sydney Lewis and Malgorzata Andersohn were second team picks.
Maldonado and Valeria Otero were named to the MEAC All-Tournament Team.
This was Delaware State's first MEAC Tournament finals appearance since 2010.