BALTIMORE, MD. – The Hampton University volleyball team opened Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference action on Friday night dropping a tightly-contested four-set match at Morgan State 25-13, 23-25, 25-27, 20-25.

Reeana Richardson recorded her first double-double of the season with 14 kills and 12 digs to go along with three blocks and two aces.  Lena Washington just missed out on a double-double with 11 kills and eight digs.  Freshman Micah Leavell added 10 kills and four digs for Hampton with Brianna Lilly recording 40 assists and seven digs.

Hampton jumped out in the opening set racing out to a 10-3 lead on a Richardson service ace en route to the first set win at 25-13.

In the second, the teams went back and forth with nine ties and four lead changes.   With Morgan holding a 16-13 lead, Hampton scored seven of the next 10 points to lead 20-19 on a kill by Washington.  From that point, the teams tied four times as Morgan scored the last two points of the set to tie the match with a 25-23 win.

The third set got even wilder with 11 ties and seven lead changes.  Hampton held an 8-2 advantage after a Summer Humes ace, but the Bears roared back with eight straight points to take a 10-8 lead.  From that point, no one held more than a three-point lead.  The Lady Pirates took a 23-21 lead on a kill from Leavell, but Morgan State scored six of the lsat eight points to win the set 27-25.

In the fourth and final set, Morgan State got out to a 13-5 lead and saw Hampton cut it down to 24-20 on a Richardson ace before the hosts scored the final point for the 3-1 victory.

Hampton (1-11, 0-1) returns to action on Sunday at 3 pm when they face Coppin State in Baltimore.

For more information on Hampton University volleyball, please contact the Office of Sports Information at 757-727-5906 or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.