WASHINGTON, D.C. – Despite a spirited comeback in a raucous environment, the Hampton University volleyball team suffered its first conference loss on Sunday in Burr Gymnasium, as Howard won 3-2 (25-20, 27-25, 21-25, 23-25, 15-10).
 
The Lady Pirates (15-10, 8-1 MEAC) have still won 10 of their last 12 matches.
 
"This match was a great testament to the type of team we are," head coach Karen Weatherington said. "We knew coming in it was going to be a battle.  When we were down 2-0 to Howard and their rowdy fans, we got a rhythm going. I can say we got beat because we produced too many errors at key times and this level that gives away points and gives the opponent the advantage."
 
Senior rightside Vendula Strakova (Brno, Czech Republic) led the Lady Pirates with 33 kills, tying both her career high and the program record for most kills in a five-set match. She added a team-high 17 digs for her 15th double-double of the season, four aces, and hit .369.
 
Senior outside hitters Krista Kraskura (Kuldiga, Latvia) and Sonja Maksimovic (Belgrade, Serbia) had 11 and 10 kills, respectively. Kraskura also had 11 digs for her 10th double-double of the season.
 
Senior setter Kitija Megne (Kuldiga, Latvia) had 52 assists and 10 digs.
 
The Lady Pirates hit .245 (64 kills, 25 errors in 159 attacks) and had a 9-3 edge in aces. Howard (16-9, 9-1 MEAC) hit .352 and held an 11.5-7.0 edge in team blocks.
 
The Lady Pirates held a 15-14 lead in the first set after a kill from senior middle blocker Marija Kocevska (Skopje, Macedonia), before Howard went on a 7-3 run to take a 21-18 lead. A kill from freshman middle blocker Tatyana Thomas (Suffolk, Va.) cut the lead to 21-19 with a kill, but Howard closed the set with a 4-1 run.
 
Redshirt freshman middle blocker Kennedy Kenney (Milpitas, Calif.) gave the Lady Pirates a 10-8 lead in the second set, before Howard went on a 6-3 spurt to take a 14-13 lead. A 5-2 Hampton spurt gave the Lady Pirates an 18-16 lead after a kill from Maksimovic.
 
Strakova forced set point, giving the Lady Pirates a 24-23 lead with a kill, before Howard scored the next two points to take a 25-24 lead. Strakova had another kill to tie the set at 25-25, before the Lady Bison scored the next two points to take the set and go up 2-0 in the match.
 
The Lady Pirates hit a team-best .324 (17 kills, six errors in 34 attacks) in the second set.
 
The comeback was on in the third set, as the Lady Pirates held an early 7-5 lead. Howard then went on a 7-2 run to take a 12-9 lead, before the Lady Pirates went on a 7-3 run to take a 17-15 lead after a kill from Strakova.
 
Howard cut the lead to 21-19, before Hampton closed the set on a 4-2 run, clinching the set on a kill from Kraskura.
 
Howard led 11-9 in the fourth set, before the Lady Pirates went on a 6-1 run to take a 15-12 lead after Kocevska and Kraskura teamed on a block. Howard fought back to take an 18-17 lead, but a 5-2 Hampton spurt put the Lady Pirates up 22-20 after an ace from junior libero Allysa Medina (Menifee, Calif.).
 
Howard fought back, cutting the lead to 24-23, before a kill from Strakova gave the fourth set to the Lady Pirates and forced the final frame.
 
Strakova gave the Lady Pirates a 2-1 lead in the final set with a kill, before Howard scored five of the next six points to take a 6-3 lead. The Lady Bison led the rest of the way, though a late kill from Strakova cut the lead to 13-10.
 
Howard scored the next two points to take the set and the match.
 
"We had some great performances by Vendy, Sonja, and Allysa (Medina)," Weatherington said. "Fatigue wasn't a factor as much as hesitating to execute the game plan. But I'm so proud of our ability to outfight any team and battle our way back into any match.
 
"We are playing well at this point in the season and that's a good thing,"
 
The Lady Pirates return to Holland Hall on Friday to take on Delaware State 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.