BALTIMORE – The Coppin State volleyball team sent its seniors out with a bang, fighting until the end to earn a 3-2 triumph over Maryland Eastern Shore on Senior Day in the Auxiliary Gym.
The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Northern Division rivals gave the fans quite a show. The Eagles took the first set, 25-20. Not to be outdone, the Hawks won the next two sets, 25-21 and 29-27. Facing a 2-1 deficit, Coppin State stepped up and took the fourth set 25-21. The Eagles took the deciding fifth set in 11 minutes with a 15-5 game-winning score.
When the two teams met earlier this season, they sparred just as hard, going five sets, ending with a 3-2 Eagles victory. However, that didn't stop Coppin State from wanting a three-set decision.
"I was expecting to go three and out," Coppin State senior outside hitter
Ariel Richard said. "You can't always get what you want but I'm happy we were able to come out with the win."
Richard definitely showed up and showed out on Senior Day. She led the Eagles with a match and season-high 22 kills, earning her seventh career match with 20 or more kills. She added 12 digs in the win, making this her 18th career double-double. Richard finished the match and her home career with a flourish by recording the final kill, which clinched the match.
"It feels great to win this last one at home," Richard said. "I'm really going to miss it. We have such great fans. It's going to be weird not playing here again but it was really important for me to get this victory in our house for the last time."
Senior
Kandace Thomas recorded 12 kills in her final home game. Junior
Cindy Okpegbue added 15 kills. Okpegbue and Richard combined for 10 of Coppin State's 11 kills in the fifth set. Junior
Chelsee Sauni notched a match-high 48 assists. Seniors
Gabrielle Otero and
Nicole Malave-Adams combined for 36 digs, Otero with a match-high 25 and Malave-Adams with 11. Junior
Kendra Ireigbe had seven blocks.
UMES' Haley Robinson had a double-double (15 kills and 25 assists). Ksenia Sukhareva and Alana Polk each finished with double-digit kills, 14 and 11, respectively. Sonia Rosales topped the Hawks with 28 assists. Precious Manu had a team-high 19 digs.
Senior Day marked the last time Malave-Adams, Otero, Richard, and Thomas would wear blue and gold in the Auxiliary Gym. The four seniors wanted to leave their mark in the history books and did just that. The volleyball team's victory over UMES is Coppin State's 13th win of the regular season, tying the school record for most regular season wins.
Sunday afternoon's success earned the Eagles a playoff berth into the MEAC Volleyball Tournament, which runs from Friday Nov. 21 through Sunday Nov. 23.
Coppin State will finish its regular season on the road, starting at the New Jersey Institute of Technology on Friday Nov. 7 at 7 p.m. The Eagles then travel to Howard University for a MEAC rematch on Sunday Nov. 9 at 3 p.m.
