WASHINGTON (November 10, 2023) - Howard University volleyball (15-13, MEAC 11-4) ended the regular season on a high note, wrapping up conference play with a 3-1 road victory (23-25, 25-21, 25-16, 25-15) at Norfolk State (NSU) Friday night.
 
Sophomore Rya McKinnon (Hoover, Ala.) led the Bison attack, producing a double-double (18 digs & 15 kills) in the win.
 
In an evenly paced battle, the teams traded points until a 5-1 run inched the Spartans ahead, 13-8. Three straight kills from the Bison, led by McKinnon, would level the board, 18-18.
 
As NSU (8-14, 7-8 MEAC) approached set point, a kill by senior Jennifer Bolden (Los Angeles) would hold the competition at bay, 23-21. Two more points would hold the Spartans in place before senior blocker Adlene Jideofor (West Park, Fla.) closed the first frame with a kill, 25-23.
 
Howard flipped the script in the second set with a 6-3 run. Later in the game, back-to-back NSU errors aided by a solo block from junior Dami Awojobi (Hempstead, N.Y.) would stretch the lead, 13-8, before three straight errors would force the Spartans into a timeout, 23-17.
 
An uninterrupted four-point run extended the frame, but the charge fell short as McKinnon sent a kill in Spartan territory for the Bison's first win of the night, 25-21.
 
In game three, the Bison would break out to a 3-0 lead before the Spartans tied the score with three straight attacks of their own, 3-3.
 
A 5-0 run would widen the gap, 8-3, before back-to-back aces from second-year setter Leah Reeves (Allen, Texas) would extend the lead, 16-8.
 
The Spartans would cut the deficit to five, 20-15, but an ace by sophomore Claire Simpson (Plainfield, Ill.), followed by a McKinnon kill, would take the set, 25-16.
 
In their final chance of the night, the Spartans jumped out to 3-0 run, capitalizing on two errors.
 
A 6-0 uncontested run would help the Bison double the score, 8-4. Straight kills from juniors Bria Woodard (Missouri City, Texas) and Amanda Ifeanyichukwu (The Woodlands, Texas) would edge the Bison ahead, 13-7. All-MEAC selection Cimone Woodard (Missouri City, Texas) highlighted her rotation with a kill, paired with a service ace to pull the Bison ahead, 18-9.
 
Senior Ariel Finch (Los Angeles) would get in on the action, sending back-to-back kills to the Spartans - placing set match in view. Finch would help close out the set, blocking the Spartan attack with C. Woodard to win the final frame, 25-15.
 
Howard dominated Norfolk State on all offensive fronts, besting the Spartans in hitting percentage (.301-.096), kills (55-30), attacks (123-115), assists (49-28) and aces (10-6).
 
Bolden and Ifeanyichukwu finished with 13 kills and 12 kills, respectively, while Reeves and fifth-year Bison Kayla Diaz (Rockland, N.Y.) combined for 46 assists on the night.
 
For NSU, Gabrielle Gilbert flirted with a double-double (10 kills & nine digs).
 
The Bison start their post-season journey Friday, November 17 when the MEAC tournament kicks off in Dover Delaware.
 
For more information, visit the Howard Athletics website www.hubison.com.