BALTIMORE – The Coppin State home crowd erupted with cheers as the Lady Eagles volleyball team defeated Morgan State, 3-2 in an epic and intense Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) masterpiece Friday night before a rollicking and overflow throng inside of the Auxiliary Gym.
The crowd that was somehow shoehorned into the facility may have departed into the chilly evening hoarse, but they can share of the classic showdown they witnessed between the two fierce rivals. Fans that couldn't get into the arena, stood outside and watched from the window that overlooks the volleyball court.
Both squads battled back and forth like gladiators in answering each other with big kills, digs, blocks and high-definition acrobatics throughout the two hour, nine minute treasure. This was one for the ages.
The win also tied Coppin State (7-10 overall, 4-2 MEAC) with the Bears (7-13, 4-2) at the halfway point of conference season. Coppin State also improved to 4-0 overall in five-set matches this season.
Coppin State senior
Cindy Okpegbue led the Eagles with a season-high 21 kills, the 54th time in her magnificent career she has recorded double-digit kills in a match. Okpegbue has 39 kills in her last two matches. Okpegbue had 17 kills over the final three sets for Coppin State.
She ended the marathon by emphatically slamming home her final kill of the match setting off a wild and euphoric celebration by Coppin State's affectionate student body better known as the "Turn Up Squad."
"I am so proud of all my teammates tonight," Okpegbue said. "They all did something special to help us win this match. It's a big win for us and I am glad we were able to pull it out. It was a great match to be a part of."
Backing up Okpegbue was the triumvirate of freshman
Samantha Polk, sophomore
Bailee Jackson and senior
Chelsee Sauni, each of whom finished with double-doubles.
For Sauni it was her team-leading sixth double-double of the season. She directed the Eagles show by delivering a season-best 52 assists. Her effort was complemented with 11 digs.
Meanwhile, Jackson lit up the Bears with 11 kills and 10 digs to collect her third double-double of the season. She opened the decisive fifth set by scoring Coppin State's first three points with kills that helped negate any momentum Morgan State had from rallying from a 24-21 deficit to win the fourth set, 29-27.
In posting her second double-double of the season, Polk collected 15 kills and 11 digs, in playing her first career Morgan-Coppin match. Polk helped the Eagles win the first set by delivering eight kills. Sophomore Glory Rosado was awesome as she finished with 21 digs, the fifth time this season she collected at least 20 digs.
"This match was by far the most intense I've ever played in my life," Polk said. "Morgan and Coppin volleyball is on a different level. We stayed together and kept working which helped us come through at the end. It was a great match and I am happy that I was able to help my team win this match."
Coppin State played with speed and poise thought the night, often feeding off the home fans and treating them to their first on-campus triumph this season.
Morgan State battled throughout and doing its part to make Coppin earn the victory by overcoming seven match points. Led by Keana Browne, Dinah Jones, Arianna Hayden, and Evely Macedo, all of whom finished with 10 or more kills. Carmen Fernandez added 55 assists for the Bears.
Coppin State will head on the road for another conference meeting with Howard University on Sunday October 18 at 3:00 pm in Washington D.C. The rematch is Sunday, Nov. 8 at Morgan State. In the words of Terrell Owens, "get your popcorn ready!"
Sports Information Intern Jason J. Brown contributed to this article.
