Box Score

HAMPTON, Va. – Being the away team in its own gym didn't seem to bother the Hampton University volleyball team, as the Lady Pirates defeated Howard 3-1 (25-15, 24-26, 25-18, 28-26) on Friday in Holland Hall.

The Lady Pirates (8-8, 3-0 MEAC) have won six of their last seven matches and remain in first place by half a match over Maryland Eastern Shore in the MEAC Northern Division. Hampton has also won five straight matches over Howard.

After Howard, the designated home team despite not being able to play in Burr Gymnasium (currently undergoing renovations), took a 4-3 lead in the first set, the Lady Pirates went on a 5-0 run to open up a 9-3 lead. The Lady Pirates would grow that lead to 14-5 after back-to-back aces from junior Mariah Baylor (Minneapolis, Minn.).

Senior Mianna Armstrong (Lomond, Alberta) recorded a kill to put Hampton up 15-7, before Howard cut the lead to five at 15-10 with three straight points. But the Lady Bison (1-17, 0-2 MEAC) would get no closer, and Hampton cruised to take the first set 25-15.

Howard responded by jumping to a 4-0 lead to open the second set, before withstanding an early Hampton run that tied the set at 6-6 – and even gave the Lady Pirates a 7-6 lead after sophomore Ioana Kalfinova (Sofia, Bulgaria) recorded a kill. A 6-0 Hampton run would grow that lead to 10-6, before Howard answered with a 6-0 run of its own to regain the lead 12-10.

Freshman Sonja Maksimovic (Belgrade, Serbia) tied the set at 21-21 with a kill, and the Lady Pirates scored the next two points to take a 23-21 lead – before Howard closed the set on a 5-1 run to win 26-24.

Maksimovic gave Hampton a 6-2 lead early in the third set with a kill, before Howard fought back to tie the set at 8-8. Baylor and freshman Krista Kraskura (Kuldiga, Latvia) teamed on a block to give the Lady Pirates a 10-8 lead, and Kraskura later added a pair of kills to put Hampton up 14-10.

Howard closed to within 19-17, but Hampton closed the set on a 6-1 run to win the set 25-18 after Baylor clinched the set with an ace.

An Armstrong ace put Hampton up 5-3 early in the fourth set, but Howard took a 6-5 lead before Baylor gave Hampton the lead right back with a kill. The score tied at 14-14 later in the set after sophomore Sheileen Pagan (Rio Grande, Puerto Rico) recorded an ace, but Howard responded and took a 20-17 lead – and seemingly control of the set.

The Lady Pirates clawed their way back, and in the closing moments, the set was tied five times. Howard was up 24-22 and serving for the set, but Hampton got a kill and a block from Armstrong to force a 24-24 gridlock.

Howard would twice take the lead to force set point, but both times Hampton answered – before Armstrong gave Hampton a 27-26 lead with an ace, and the Lady Pirates clinched the match on a Howard error.

Hampton hit a season-best .275 for the match, recording 50 kills and just 14 errors in 131 total attacks. The Lady Pirates hit a team-best .343 in the fourth set, thanks to 16 kills and just four errors in 35 attacks. Hampton also hit .333 in the first and third sets.

Hampton also held a 9-6 edge in service aces.

Howard hit just .168 as a team, with 49 kills and 26 errors in 137 attacks. The Lady Bison hit a team-best .294 (15 kills, five errors in 34 attacks) in the third set.

Maksimovic led the Lady Pirates with a career-high 14 kills, hitting a team-best .444 with only two errors in 27 total attacks. Armstrong added 11 kills to go along with 10 digs for her fourth double-double of the season.

Senior Juliana Chavez (Bogota, Colombia) led the way with 39 of Hampton's 45 assists. Baylor and Pagan each had three service aces to lead the Lady Pirates.

Pagan led the way with 20 digs on defense.

Tosin Elebute led Howard with 19 kills, while Assata Conway added 10 kills.

The Lady Pirates will return to action on Friday, when they play host to Maryland Eastern Shore at Holland Hall at 6 p.m. For more information on Hampton University volleyball, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.