NORFOLK, Virginia - Maryland Eastern Shore rebounded from an opening set loss to earn a 3-1 match victory (21-25, 25-18, 25-18, 25-18) over the Norfolk State Spartans at Gill Gymnasium Friday evening. The win snaps an eight game losing streak and improves their record to 8-10 (1-1 MEAC).

Senior Mere Serea (Suva, Fiji) was a major factor for the Hawks, finishing with 11 kills and an impressive .381 kill percentage. The middle blocker was also superb on defense with 10 block participations, four of them solo, for her first double-double as a Hawk. Sophomore Lucia Babic (Sisak, Croatia) led in kills with 12 and freshman Ivana Blazevic (Zagreb, Croatia) recorded her second straight double-double with 36 assists and 13 digs. Sophomore libero Koya Sowells (Missouri City, Texas) tallied 15 digs in the win.

Norfolk State was led by a match-high 20 kills from Jessica Johnson and a double-double of 41 assists and 18 digs from Jill Aquino. The Spartans fell to 2-12 (1-2 MEAC) this season.

Maryland Eastern Shore led by as many as six at the 15-9 mark in the first set, but the Spartans climbed back in with a late rally. The home squad would take the lead at 20-19 and rode the momentum to a four point win. In the second set, the Hawks would make a comeback of their own. They stormed out to a 7-2 lead and never looked back. A Babic kill sealed a seven point win.

The third set proved to be crucial, and both teams could sense it at the beginning. An early three point edge for The Shore was enough to force a Spartan timeout at the 8-5 mark. Norfolk State rallied to tie at 9-9 but the Hawks held firm. They would build a six point advantage to 18-12, and although the Spartans would rally a couple of times, that lead would stand up and The Shore took a well-deserved 2-1 match lead.

Both teams battled to begin the fourth set, but it was Maryland Eastern Shore who kept the pressure on the Spartans, forcing a timeout after taking a five point lead. The timeout did little to cool off the heated Hawks attack. They would force match point at 24-15 and hung on for their third straight seven point victory.

The Hawks return to Hampton Roads Sunday at 3 p.m. to face MEAC foe Hampton. The Pirates will be looking for a 3-1 start in conference play.