Lady Eagles Can't Stop Late Comeback, Falls To UMES

BALTIMORE, Md. – CSU took a commanding 2-0 set advantage but was unable to hold on as Maryland Eastern Shore completed the 3-2 come-from-behind victory. The setback came in front of largest crowd of the campaign as the volleyball team hosted its annual Dig Pink/Block Brain Cancer night.
 
The Basics

• Final Score: Coppin State 2, Maryland Eastern Shore 3
• Records: Coppin State 6-17 (1-3 MEAC), Maryland Eastern Shore 6-12 (3-1 MEAC)
• Location: Baltimore, MD – Physical Education Complex Arena
• Series History: Maryland Eastern Shore Leads 56-15

How It Happened

First Set

• The Eagles built a 6-3 lead over the Hawks with two Asia Stennis kills and three UMES errors aiding the run.
• The Hawks would throw a counter-punch taking the next seven of eleven to pull even at 10.
• Coppin would seize control of the set and never trailed, as it outscored UMES 15-8 to take a 1-0 edge.
• Miajavon Coleman and Stennis accounted for 10 of the Eagles 12 kills in the first set.

Second Set

• Maryland Eastern Shore looked to be on its way to a blowout second set as it cruised to an eight-point cushion at 20-12.
• The Hawks proceeded to take its foot off the gas, as the Eagles used a frantic 13-3 surge to miraculously steal a 25-23 second set contest and send the largest home crowd of the season into a frenzy.
• Miajavon Coleman led the incredible rally, striking nine kills while hitting an even .500 for the set.

Third Set

• CSU did its best to try and bury the Hawks early, jumping out to a 9-5 upper-hand to begin the game.
• UMES proved its perseverance as it outscored the Lady Eagles 15-5 over the next 20 points, ending any notion of a sweep and coming away with a 25-21 match salvaging response.

Fourth Set

• Maryland Eastern Shore rode the wave of momentum for from the previous set to move ahead 7-2 quickly.
• The young Lady Eagles were not easily shaken, calmly compiling an 11-4 mark to retake the lead.
• The Hawks and Eagles battled through a war of attrition, stalling out with 11 ties throughout the set.
• The final tie of the fourth set came with the scoreboard deadlocked at 24, as a kill by Lucia Babic and a Coppin ball handling error forced a deciding set.

Fifth Set

• The final set saw UMES show a glimpse of why it was the MEAC North preseason favorite, building an 8-2 advantage.
• The six-point deficit was too much to overcome for CSU as a 4-0 last gasp fell short and the Hawks would escape with a 15-12 match-clinching win.
• The one-two punch of Rachel Kayongo and Sola Okesanjo overwhelmed the Eagles defense, combining for seven of Maryland Eastern Shore's eight kills in the final frame.

Inside the Numbers

• Miajavon Coleman broke the Coppin State record for most attacks in a single match with 70 attempts, blasting the previous high of 63 set by Candis Johnson in 2001.
• Coleman almost one-upped herself in another record book category, smashing 28 kills on the night, tying her for fourth in program history for kills in an individual match, and falling one shy of her season-high 29 kills in a win over North Carolina Central.
• Asia Stennis had a night to remember, contributing a double-double on a season-high 17 digs and 14 kills, her third such double-double of 2018.
• Christa Johnson made her attacks count, hitting .278 on the evening.
• Brianna Lang fell one shy of averaging 10 assists per set, garnering 49 in total.
• Four Lady Eagles tallied 10 or more digs, with Stennis and Chelsie Kolibar heading the group at 17. Marlena Guice was right behind the leaders with 16, while Lang accumulated 10 of her own.
• Lang earned herself another double-double, making it two straight, four of six, and six overall on the season.
• Preseason MEAC Player of the Year Lucia Babic went off for the Hawks, piling up 17 kills, while also notching four digs and four assists.
• Kayongo was a terror to defend, knocking down 12 kills and hitting an astounding .526 on 19 attempts.
• Koya Sowells shown off on the defensive side of the court, making 25 digs for her teammates to take advantage of.

Who's Next?

• The Lady Eagles volleyball team will look to halt a 3-game MEAC losing streak when it welcomes the Delaware State Hornets to Baltimore. First serve is set for 3 p.m. on Sunday.