BALTIMORE – Coppin State's volleyball team earned a treat on Halloween with a 3-1 victory over Delaware State in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Northern Division match-up Friday night in the Auxiliary Gym.
(CLICK HERE TO READ A FEATURE STORY ON COPPIN STATE HEAD COACH ASHLEY PRESTON) The Eagles won the first two sets by 25-21 scores. The Hornets rallied to win the third set, 26-24, after a taxing back-and-forth battle. Coppin State didn't take that lightly, icing the fourth set 25-16.
With the victory, Coppin State (12-11 overall, 6-4 MEAC North) assured itself of its first winning record in program history heading into November.
The Eagles have been setting records left and right this season but Friday was all about head coach
Ashley Preston. The triumph over the Hornets was her 38th career win, making her the all-time winningest volleyball coach in Coppin State history.
When asked about Preston, her athletes had nothing but words of praise.
"She is such a great coach that genuinely cares about the team," junior outside hitter
Cindy Okpegbue said with admiration. "Since we've been here, she's always been putting us in the best positions to succeed in academics, on the court, and in life. She's always there for us and whenever we need something it's easy to go to her. She's a great person."
Along with Okpegbue, junior setter
Chelsee Sauni has been with coach Preston from the beginning, when they all embarked on this journey together three years ago.
"It makes me proud," Sauni said. "We all came in my freshman year and were new to everything. We didn't know what to expect from each other so to be able to cross that off of our list of goals is something that makes me happy to have a coach like her. It's another accomplishment for us. We've become a family."
Okpegbue led the Eagles' rally with a match-high 22 kills. This was the ninth time in her career that she has recorded 20 or more kills.
Nicole Malave-Adams and
Kandace Thomas had 10 kills each.
Ariel Richard chipped in with nine kills.
"Once we realized we were about to lose, we started picking it up and seeing the necessary things we needed to do," Okpegbue said. "We didn't realize we might get caught up, but we finally got it together in the end."
Defensively, Malave-Adams and
Gabrielle Otero shared a match-high 13 digs.
Chelsee Sauni dished a match-high 53 assists.
Although Coppin State was hoping to close out the match in three sets, Delaware State overcame a 20-16 deficit to force a fourth set.
"I never expect to go to four sets," Sauni said. "I always want to go to three. We always know that some teams are going to be hard to beat because they have nothing to lose. They're going to play with all their heart and might. To turn it around we had to start executing all of our plays, limiting our errors, keeping our serves in, and passing well."
Delaware State's Nevershi Ellis and Jasmine Jackson led the Hornets with 12 kills apiece. Taylor Marshall and Natalia Mendieta added 18 assists each. Ayanna Lee had a team-high 12 digs.
Coppin State will celebrate the accomplishments of seniors
Kandace Thomas,
Nicole Malave-Adams,
Gabrielle Otero, and
Ariel Richards during Senior Day on Sunday against Maryland Eastern Shore in the Auxiliary Gym at 3 p.m.
