HAMPTON, Va. – The Hampton University volleyball team got back into the win column Friday evening in Holland Hall, beating MEAC rival Delaware State 3-0 (25-20, 25-14, 25-14).
 
The Lady Pirates (16-10, 9-1 MEAC) have won 11 of their last 13 matches.
 
Head coach Karen Weatherington picked up her 98th career win, leaving her just two shy of 100.

"Tonight's match was a really great display of the high level of volleyball that we're playing," Weatherington said. "Even after a tough loss last week, this team is an inspired unit that's working together better than ever."
 
Senior rightside Vendula Strakova (Brno, Czech Republic) led the way with 15 kills, while adding 17 digs for her 16th double-double of the season. Both she and senior outside hitter Sonja Maksimovic (Belgrade, Serbia) hit .500 for the match; Maksimovic had 11 kills.
 
Junior Allysa Medina (Menifee, Calif.) added nine kills, while senior Krista Kraskura (Kuldiga, Latvia) had nine digs.
 
Senior setter Kitija Megne (Kuldiga, Latvia) had 33 assists.

"Vendy and Sonja teamed up for some great swings," Weatherington said. "It was fun to change things up in our line up. Alyssa is amazingly smart and fiery, attacker and I was glad we could give her a chance to score for us. I'm particularly proud of the middles who really combined for some great blocks. Kennedy  (Kenney), Marija (Kocevska), and Tatyana (Thomas) are playing at a high level and want to control the net. We need to keep that going in the matches to come."
 
The Lady Pirates hit .362 (44 kills, 10 errors in 94 attacks) for the match, while holding Delaware State to just .078 hitting. Hampton also held an 8.0-5.0 edge in team blocks, though the Hornets (1-23, 1-9 MEAC) led in aces 6-4.
 
Delaware State led 8-6 early in the first set, before the Lady Pirates scored the next five points to take an 11-8 lead on a kill from Strakova. The Hornets fought back to take a 13-12 lead, before the Lady Pirates went on an 8-2 run, taking a 20-15 lead after a kill from Medina.
 
The Hornets responded by scoring five of the next six points, cutting the lead to 21-20.
 
The Lady Pirates scored the last four points of the set, though, to take the frame 25-20 and go up 1-0 in the match. Hampton hit .323 (14 kills, four errors in 31 attacks) in the first set – and the Lady Pirates hit at least .300 in all three sets.
 
That included a match-best .394 (15 kills, two errors in 33 attacks) in the second set. Delaware State cut the lead to 10-8 early in the set, before the Lady Pirates went on a 7-1 run to take a 17-9 lead after an ace from Kraskura.
 
From that point on, the closest the Hornets could get was within 20-13, before Hampton closed the second set with a 5-1 spurt, taking the frame 25-14 after a Hornets service error.
 
That momentum carried into the third set, as the Lady Pirates jumped out to a 7-1 lead following a kill from Thomas. Delaware State responded with an 8-3 run to cut the lead to 10-9.
 
Hampton went on an 8-2 run of its own, taking an 18-11 lead after Strakova and Thomas paired up on a block. Delaware State scored the next two points, out of a timeout, but The Lady Pirates closed the set by scoring six of the last seven points.
 
A kill from Kocevska clinched the set and the match.
 
Hampton hit .367 (15 kills, four errors in 30 attacks) in the third set.

"This weekend is bittersweet and we are filled with pride for Senior Day on Sunday," Weatherington said. "It will be an incredibly poignant time when acknowledging a group that will leave a mark on Hampton athletic history."
 
The Lady Pirates will have their home finale on Sunday, celebrating Senior Day against Maryland Eastern Shore at 3 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.