Howard Bison sweeps Florida A&M for three-peat

PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland -- Coach Shaun Kupferberg and the Howard University Women's Volleyball team captured its third straight Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Title after sweeping the Florida A&M (FAMU) Rattlers (25-22, 25-19, 29-27) at the William P. Hytche Athletc Center. The victory also secured HU's 10th championship in program history.

Additionally, Howard became the first team to three-peat since FAMU won nine consecutive title (2001-09).

"Everyone is different," said Kupferberg, MEAC Tournament Outstanding Coach. "Everyone has different feelings attached to it. This one was a struggle, this one was probably the hardest. We had a long year, we had a lot of injuries, a lot of new players … it was chaos trying to put it all together."

MEAC Player of the Year Khaila Donaldson was named the tournament's Outstanding Performer after flirting with a double-double (nine kills and nine digs).

"It's amazing because this is my last one," Donaldson said. "I'm a senior and this is my last one, and we have a new team who's never been here before, so there's a lot of emotions, a lot of tears – happy tears, thank God – it's just overwhelming."

Fellow classmate Jessica Young led the Bison with a match-best 17 kills while producing a .424 hitting percentage. Young was also named to the All-Tournament Team.

Howard (16-15) was trailing near the midway point of the first set until the Bison chipped away, using a 9-4 spurt to take an 18-17 lead after an ace from senior Carlise Cardoza. FAMU tied the set again on the next point, but Howard maintained control before ultimately winning the frame 25-22.

The second set was tight early until Howard responded with a 5-1 push to go up 11-7 after Young and junior Olubunmi Okunade paired on a block. From that point on, the Rattlers could not get closer than within two; thus, HU took a commanding 2-0 lead after two sets.

FAMU led throughout the third, but again, the Bison slowly chipped away at that lead. Nicole Abreu's kill gave FAMU breathing room at 21-18, but Howard answered with a 5-2 spurt to tie the set at 23-23 on a Jurnee Tipton kill.

There were four more ties, the last at 27-27, before a Young kill and an Abreu error clinched the title.

Sophomore Kira Porter joined Donaldson and Young on the All-Tournament Team after posting nine kills and five total blocks (three solo) against Florida A&M.

The NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Championship bracket will be announced the Sunday, Nov. 26 before the first round of competition, which begins Thursday, Nov. 30.

For more information, visit the Bison Athletics website at www.HUBison.com.

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