BALTIMORE – The Coppin State volleyball team dropped a heartbreaking 3-2 decision to Hampton University before a lively standing-room only crowd in the Auxiliary Gym Friday night.
After winning the first two sets by identical 25-22 scores, Coppin State (7-9 overall, 1-2 MEAC North) dropped the last three sets, 25-19, 25-21, 15-10. Hampton improved to 8-8 overall and 3-0 in the Northern Division.
The championship rematch between conference heavyweights lived up to its billing as both teams combined for an astounding total of 130 kills. Each squad battled back and forth while treating the capacity gathering to an entertaining display of quality volleyball.
Fans also witnessed history as Coppin State senior
Ariel Richard became the program's all-time leader in kills. Richard needed five kills to surpass Brittany Arvin's previous standard of 1,079 entering the match. She finished with 16 kills to raise her career total to 1,091. She has hit for double-digit kills 56 times during her career. Richard's record-setting kill occurred late in the second set. It gave the Eagles a 22-17 edge.
Leading Coppin State in kills was junior
Cindy Okpegbue, who had 25 along with a .365 attack percentage. It was her second consecutive match finishing with at least 20 kills. During the match, Okpegbue passed Candis Johnson and Shauniece Stewart to move into third place all-time with 752 career kills.
Freshman
Maya Horner delivered a career-best 14 kills with a .345 hitting percentage. Horner had five of Coppin State's 14 kills in the first set.
Coppin State's
Chelsee Sauni collected 52 assists and had nine digs. She has 2,457 career assists and continued moving closer to Krystal Williams' current program mark of 2,497. Defensively, the Eagles were led by
Gabrielle Otero's 15 digs and
Kendra Ireigbe's five blocks.
The fourth match was tense as it featured 13 lead changes and 12 ties, the last occurring at 17-17. In the decisive fifth set, Coppin State tied the match at 4-4 before Hampton scored four consecutive points to open an 8-4 lead.
Hampton, which never trailed in the fifth set, also had three players finish with double-digit kills: Vendula Strakova (27), Sonja Maksimovic (15) and Krista Kraskura (14). Hampton's Kitija Megne had 48 assists and nine digs. Kraskura (11 digs) and Maksimovic (10) also finished with double-doubles for the Lady Pirates. Kennedy Kenney had a match-high six blocks.
The two teams will meet again in three weeks in Hampton.
Coppin State visits Maryland Eastern Shore Sunday at 3:00 p.m. Hampton hosts Howard, also at the same time on Sunday.
