Baltimore, MD – Coppin State Volleyball dropped two matches in their home opener this afternoon to nonconference opponent Lafayette College 3-1 and MEAC rival Howard University 3-0.
Lafayette, 3-1 - (17-25, 22-25, 25-7, 19-25)
The Lady Eagles came out strong in what would be their second match of the day. The Lady Eagles took on the Leopards of Lafayette and played a much stronger match when compared to Howard. In the first set, Coppin was tied at 5 a piece when Lafayette went on a 5-0 run. The gap grew to a 12 point lead before Coppin strung together an 8-4 run when they were down 21-9. Unfortunately, the set was lost, but Coppin used the momentum in the second set. Down 19-15, Coppin used a three point run to close within one. Lafayette would bounce back with their own four point run to tilt the set 23-18 in Lafayette's favor. A
Bailee Jackson and
Christa Johnson block would start a 4-1 run for the Lady Eagles.
Marlena Guice earned a kill from Dominque Madarang and Madarang added another kill from
Glorines Rosado to close within three. Rosado would then serve up another ace to bring Coppin in two, but the Leopards would score soon after to close the set 25-22 in their favor.
The highlight of the evening would come in the third set for Coppin State. The Lady Eagles would start with a commanding 7-2 lead.
Asia Stennis would extend the lead with a kill from Madarang and a service ace. After several attack errors and a 11-4 lead, Coppin would continue to make plays on the court that eventually lead to a 14-3 scoring run and the set win.
The fourth and final set saw Coppin spot Lafayette a 9-1 lead. The Lady Eagles would then go on their own scoring barrage and outscore Lafayette 10-1 and briefly maintain an 11-10 lead. The two teams would tangle it up again as the score would be tied at 16 a piece. Lafayette would then go on a 4-1 run to put the Leopards at a 21-17 lead. Coppin would score two more times, but it wasn't enough to prevent Lafayette from taking the set 25-19, and the match 3-1.
Howard, 3-0 - (22-25, 16-25, 9-25)
In the first set, the Lady Eagles and Howard literally traded points and the lead until both squads were knotted at 9. Howard would go on a 7 to 3 point run that would give them a 16-12 lead. Coppin would battle back and tie the score at 17 a piece and then take a 19-18 lead. The Bison would then tie the score at 20 and wouldn't look back as the would also take the set 25-22.
Coppin struggled in the second set despite having a 5-3 lead. The Bison would go ona 6 to 1 point run and never looked backed. Howard would increase that lead to six points and eventually 9 points as they would take the second set 25-16. Coppin would close the third set and match 25-9 loss.
