Box Score Dover, Del. (Feb. 8, 2021) --- The Delaware State volleyball team has won three of its first four matches to start a season since the program began in the mid-1980s. The Hornets won their third straight match to improve to 3-1 this season with a 3-0 victory visiting Norfolk State in Memorial Hall today.
The three-set sweep was Delaware State's first of the season.
The Hornets won the first set 25-15 and opened up a 2-0 after a 25-16 victory in set two. DSU completed the sweep by outscoring the Spartans 25-19.
Valeria Otero (str.) led all players with 10 kills (.421 pct.), while Mayah Ngundam (sr.) recorded nine winners to key the DSU victory.
The Hornets posted a season-best .315 hitting percentage in the match, tallying 40 kills and a season-low 12 errors on 89 attacks.
Norfolk State's .087 percentage was the lowest for a DSU opponent this season. The Spartans had 22 kills and 16 errors on 69 attacks in the match.
Delaware State also tied its season high with 11 service aces in the contest. Otero led the way with a career-high four, while Maria Caratini had three, also a career-best.
The Hornets never trailed in the opening set. Otero capped off a 5-0 DSU run with a kill off a feed from Jasmal Cruz (so.) to open up a 17-10 lead.
Delaware State scored eight of the last 12 points, and closed out the set win on an error by the Spartans.
The Hornets recorded a .345 attack percentage and tallied six service aces in the second set. DSU also never trailed in set two.
Norfolk State scored the first point of the third set, and was tied on five occasions before Delaware State pulled away. The score was 9-9 in set three when the Hornets scored the next four points, the last two on kills by Sydney Lewis (so.), to open up a 13-9 lead.
DSU was ahead 18-13 in set three before the Spartans ran off four straight points to pull to within one. The Hornets answered with a 5-0 run, and stretched their lead to 23-17 on a Norfolk State error.
Lewis scored the set and match-winning point on a kill off an assist from Alayna Lacy.
Delaware State begins MEAC Northern Division play with matches this Thursday and Friday Feb. 11-12) at Coppin State.
The Hornets return home Feb. 18 & 19 for a two-game series against Morgan State. Each match is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. in Memorial Hall.