Dover, Del. (Nov. 7, 2021) --- The Delaware State volleyball team tied the program record with its 23^rd win of the season, outlasting Coppin State 3-2 in a MEAC contest today. The Hornets, now 23-3 overall and tied for first in the MEAC with an 11-2 league mark, matching the top wins total in program history first set by the 1987 squad (23-6).
Delaware State can set the school single-season wins record and clinch at least a share of the MEAC regular season title on Friday (Nov. 12) in its 2021 finale at Maryland-Eastern Shore.
The Hornets also completed a regular season sweep of Coppin State, the preseason MEAC favorite.
In today's match, the Eagles won the first set 25-23. Delaware State evened the match with a 25-23 victory in set two. The Hornets carried the momentum of their set two win into set three, winning the game 25-19 to take a 2-1 lead in the match.
Coppin State stayed alive in the contest with a 25-21 win in set four, setting up the deciding fifth set.
In the fifth set, the Hornets scored the first three points and opened up an 8-2 lead after back-to-back errors by the Eagles.
DSU led by six points on four occasions in the fifth set, the last time at 14-8 on another miscue by Coppin State.
The Eagles pulled to within 14-10 but committed an attack error on the next play to hand the match to the Hornets.
DSU's Karen Cordero led all players with a career-high 22 kills and also contributed a personal-best with 17 digs.
Valeria Otero also recorded a double-double for the Hornets with 14 kills and 12 digs.
Delaware State's Jasmal Cruz also recorded a career-high with 32 digs to lead all players. The Hornets had a season-high 87 digs in the match.
Malgorzata Andersohn topped the Hornets with 29 assists and tallied 13 digs.
Delaware State had a .189 hitting percentage in the match, tallying 63 kills and 30 errors on 175 attacks.
Coppin State had 51 kills and 21 errors on 176 attempts for a .170 percentage in the contest.
The Hornets and Howard are tied for first in the MEAC heading into the final weekend. Howard will close out conference play against Norfolk State.
A victory DSU at Maryland-Eastern on Friday would give the Hornets at least a share of the MEAC regular season championship for the first time since 1987.