College Park, Md. (Aug. 28, 2016) --- Delaware State opened the 2016 volleyball season with a competitive showing in a 3-0 loss to Sacred Heart of the Northeast Conference at the University of Maryland Tournament this afternoon.
The scores were 25-16, 26-24 and 25-15.
The contest also marked the season opener for Sacred Heart, which posted a 15-13 overall record last season.
In today's match, Sarah Krufka led the Pioneers with 15 kills on 26 attempts (.462).
Sydney Armbrister (so.), Jenessa Helu (sr.) and newcomer Sabina Szmajduch (jr.) tied for team-high honors with six kills each for DSU. Alliyah McBean topped the Hornets with 10 digs, while newcomer Gabriella Enriquez (jr.) had a team-high 12 assists.
In the first set, the Hornets opened up an early lead, 6-4, on a kill by Helu off a feed from Enriquez.
Sacred Heart answered with a 9-0 run to grab a 13-6 lead.
Delaware State responded by scoring the next three points, and pulled to within 13-9 on an error by the Pioneers. Sacred Heart scored 11 of the next 16 points to take control of the set.
The Hornets again started quickly in the second set, scoring five of the first six points, and opening up a 10-4 lead when Morgan Tennant (jr.) assisted on a kill by Jae Jackson (sr.).
DSU led 11-5 before Sacred Heart began to climb back. The Pioneers scored seven of the next nine points to pull to within 13-12.
The Hornets opened up a little more breathing room with a 4-1 run, capped off by block assists from Ariana Stevens (sr.) and Tennant to give DSU a 19-16 lead.
Sacred Heart made a late run, and pulled ahead 23-21 on a DSU error.
Delaware State trailed 24-23, but stayed alive in the set on a service error by the Pioneers. SHU scored the next two points to take the set.
The Hornets outhit Sacred Heart .233-to-154 in the second set. DSU had 10 kills and just three errors on 30 attacks in the middle set.
The teams played even early in the third set.
The Hornets pulled ahead 7-6 on a combined block by Jackson and Armbrister.
Sacred Heart used a 7-1 run to open up a 13-8 lead. DSU could get no closer than three points the rest of the set.
For the match, the Hornets had a respectable .205 hitting percentage, tallying 24 kills and nine errors on 73 attempts.
Sacred Heart posted a .293 percentage in the contest (47 kills/18 errors/99 attacks).
DSU will close out the Maryland Tournament with two matches on Saturday. The Hornets will take on the host Terrapins at 10 a.m. and battle Eastern Michigan at 4 p.m. tomorrow.
