Volleyball Survives Five-Set Thriller in MEAC Semifinal Win Over Hawks

Courtesy of MEAC Media Relations

DOVER, Del., Nov. 19, 2022 – Through two sets Saturday evening in the semifinals of the 2022 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Volleyball Championship, top-seeded Coppin State was down two sets to none and staring at elimination.
 
But the Eagles roared back, won the last three sets, and defeated Maryland Eastern Shore 3-2 (26-28, 19-25, 25-11, 25-20, 16-14) at Delaware State's Memorial Hall Gym to advance to their second MEAC championship match in the last three seasons.
 
Coppin State (23-9) will face the Delaware State-Howard winner on Sunday at 8:30 p.m., live on ESPNU, in search of the program's first-ever tournament title.
 
First Team All-MEAC honoree Miajavon Coleman had a team-high 22 points for the Eagles, racking up 18 kills, three aces and two block assists. Fellow First Teamer Ammaarah Williams added 15 kills and 11 digs, while Yaniris Miller-Green chipped in 12 kills and three block assists.
 
MEAC Co-Setter of the Year Andrea Tsvetanova had 46 assists and 12 digs, while her four service aces gave her the program record for most career aces. MEAC Defensive Player of the Year Ashley Roman had 28 digs.
 
Coppin State seemed to have control in the first set, leading 17-12 before UMES went on a 5-0 spurt to tie the set at 17-all. A 4-0 run later gave the Hawks a 21-20 lead, but the teams then traded points until Coppin State went up 26-25 on an Ahzhi Coleman kill.
 
UMES then scored the next three points to take the set.
 
The Hawks carried that momentum into the second set, winning that one 25-19 to take a 2-0 lead in the match and make a serious bid at the program's first championship final appearance since 2012. But Coppin State took full control in the third set, leading 19-6 at one point after Miller-Green and Ahzhi Coleman paired on a block.
 
After the Eagles ran away with set three, the Hawks found their bearings in the fourth frame. They led 12-11 after an Eagles attack error, but Coppin State scored the next three points to re-take the lead – a lead the Eagles would not relinquish for the rest of the set.

Then, with the deciding set upon them, the Hawks jumped out to a 4-2 lead after back-to-back kills from Derionah Abner. Coppin State then used a 3-0 spurt to take a 5-4 lead before the teams traded the lead back and forth in the middle part of the set.
 
UMES scored four straight to take a 12-9 lead after Abner and Charlize Williams paired on a block, and it appeared the Hawks were on their way to the upset.
 
But Coppin went on a 4-0 run to take a 13-12 lead, then forced match point after Miajavon Coleman gave the Eagles a 14-13 lead. Abner tied the set with a kill at 14-all, before a UMES service error and a Williams kill gave Coppin the set, the match and the ticket to the final.
 
Abner led the Hawks (9-18) with 13 kills.