Volleyball On Verge Of MEAC Tournament Berth With 3-1 Victory Over Morgan

BALTIMORE, Md. – CSU spoiled the Lady Bears' senior night festivities as it stormed out to a 2-0 lead, finishing the job in four. Coppin saw three different Eagles notch double-digit kills while hitting .279 from the floor.
 
The Basics

• Final Score: Coppin State 3, Morgan State 1
• Records: Coppin State 10-19 (4-4 MEAC) / Morgan State 12-13 (4-4 MEAC)
• Location: Baltimore, MD – Hill Field House
• Series History: Morgan State Leads 58-10

How It Happened

1st Set

• Neither team was able to gain much separation, with each side's biggest lead being two at the 16-16 stalemate.
• A 6-1 Eagles explosion would stake a 22-17 advantage for Walsh's club, and both sides would split the remaining points to give CSU a 25-20 first game win.
• Coppin would hit .370 on the set and receive nine of its 16 kills from the duo of Stennis and Coleman.

 
2nd Set

• The Lady Eagles started strong from the opening whistle, putting up a 5-1 cushion.
• The Bears would answer with a 4-0 run to knot up the score.
• Another 5-1 Eagles surge would give the blue and gold another four-point advantage.
• After Morgan pulled back within two at 11-9, Coppin would use an 8-3 rally to cruise its way to a 25-17, 2-0 upper-hand.

 
3rd Set

• After CSU claimed an early 3-2 advantage, Morgan State took over, using an 18-12 surge to take the lead for good, and survive with a 25-20 third set triumph.
• Coppin's Christa Johnson was a menace in the set, smashing six kills to go along with an even .500 percentage in the third.

 
4th Set

• Indications in the early going seemed to signal another bounce-back performance for the Bears, as a 11-6 lead was built.
• A 7-2 Eagles run wiped the slate clean, as it tied the ballgame at 13.
• MSU would scratch out another three-point advantage until Coppin found a new gear, rattling off six of eight to retake the lead, 21-20.
• Morgan was able to hang tough and tie the set at 22, but an ace by Aislynn Weaver and two Miajavon Coleman kills put this one to bed, evening Coppin's conference record with a 25-22, 3-1 series win.

 
Inside the Numbers

• With the win, Coppin State has its most victories in a season (10) since the 2014 campaign (14) and joins the 2012, 2013, and 2014 teams with double-digit wins in the program's 29-year existence.
• Middle hitter Christa Johnson had an offensive outburst of a lifetime, smacking a career-high 11 kills, hit .458, and contributed three blocks on the defensive end.
• Joining Johnson in racking up double-digit kills, was Miajavon Coleman (19) and Asia Stennis (12). The trio contributed 75% of the team's kill total (56).
• Stennis has now hit the 10-kill threshold in five of her last eight appearances, while Coleman has surpassed the mark in 15 of the team's previous 18 games.
• Brianna Lang continues her MEAC Rookie of the Year push, as she averaged 11.75 assists per set, had an unreal hitting percentage of .714, and reached a new season-high for kills (5).
• Alberta, Canada native Chelsie Kolibar had 15 digs for the match, which is the sixth match with over 10 digs in her past eight matches.
• Morgan State also had three different individuals strike 10 or more kills, led by Monette Daniels (12), followed by Cristen Coryatt (10) and Zoe McBride (10).
• Setter Roi Wallace averaged 9.75 assists per set in her return from injury and Jasmin Hubbard tallied 12 digs for MSU.

Who's Next?

• The volleyball program will travel to Maryland Eastern Shore on Friday afternoon for a tilt with the Hawks at 5 p.m.