Box Score BALTIMORE, MD --- Howard Volleyball's breakthrough 2013 campaign came to a close as the Lady Bison fell to the Hampton University Pirates 3-1 (25-17, 11-25, 18-25, 17-25) in the semifinals of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Tournament Saturday afternoon.
The team's 21-11 record is the best school mark since Howard's 23-11 season in 1995 and their quarterfinals victory was HU's first since 2004.
Junior Assata Conway paced the Lady Bison with 10 kills and a .421 hitting percentage while freshman Katherine Broussard logged nine kills and seven digs. Junior Stephanie Shultis had 29 of the team's 35 assists and junior Allyson Lods had a game high 12 digs.
The Lady Bison came out with tremendous energy and jumped out to a quick 4-1 lead behind a pair of kills from junior Meagan Lagerlef and another from junior Destinee Harrison. Howard was consistent throughout the set and kept Hampton at bay, not allowing Hampton within three points for the rest of the set, which they won 25-17.
However, the North Division champion Pirates would gather themselves and fight back in set 2 and lead 15-11 late in the set. MEAC Player of the Year Vendula Strakova would lead Hampton's final push, recording six service aces in a set-sealing 10-0 run for the Pirates as they won the set, 25-11.
The first half of set 3 would be a back and forth battle, as five ties and four lead changes left Howard and Hampton knotted at 11-11. An 8-2 surge by the Pirates would give Hampton a 19-13 edge. Not to be denied, Howard rattled off five straight points to cut Hampton's lead to 19-17. Another 5-1 run by Hampton would seal the set, 25-18.
The final set of the match played out like the previous one, with no team separating past three points but Hampton holding a 13-10 lead halfway through. Howard would notch seven more points but logged five attack errors, the same number as the scoring deficit in the second half of the set (12-7).
Broussard and Conway were named to the 2013 MEAC All-Tournament team.
2013 All-Tournament Team
Katherine Broussard, Howard
Assata Conway, Howard
Vendula Strakova, Hampton
Cindy Opkegbue, Coppin State
Ginna Lopez-Chavez, Florida A&M
Katherine Huanec, Florida A&M
Outstanding Performer:Â Vendula Strakova, Hampton
Outstanding Coach:Â Karen Weatherington, Hampton
