DOVER, Del. – The Hampton University volleyball team's 2015 season came to an end on Friday in Memorial Hall with a five-set loss, as the Hornets won 3-2 (25-21, 22-25, 25-21, 21-25, 21-19).
 
The Lady Pirates finished the season 3-22 overall and 3-9 in MEAC play.
 
Reeana Richardson had a career afternoon, racking up 31 kills to lead the Lady Pirates, while also hitting a career-best .464 and racking up 10 digs for her third career double-double. Allysa Medina had 10 kills in her final collegiate match.
 
Mallory Beard had a team-high 14 digs on defense, while Lena Washington had 12 digs to go along with seven kills.
 
Brianna Lilly had 54 assists and two aces.
 
The Lady Pirates hit a season-best .292 (60 kills, 18 digs in 144 attacks) for the match, while Delaware State hit .277. The Hornets held an 18-6 edge in service aces, but the Lady Pirates led 7-3 in team blocks.
 
Delaware State led early in the first set, before the Lady Pirates began clawing their way back – taking an 11-10 lead after a kill from Richardson. After Delaware State took a 15-13 lead later in the set, Hampton answered with a 5-1 run, going up 19-16.
 
But the Hornets rattled off eight straight points, going up 24-19 before eventually taking the first set.
 
The Lady Pirates led 6-4 early in the second set, before the Hornets went on a 5-1 run to take a 9-7 lead. Delaware State later led 17-14 before the Lady Pirates went on a 6-2 run, taking a 20-19 lead. Delaware State fought back to take a 21-20 lead, but Hampton closed the set on a 5-1 run to tie the match.
 
An ace from Medina in the third set gave the Lady Pirates a 10-8 lead, and another ace from Erin Napoleon later in the set put Hampton up 14-10. But a 9-3 run from the Hornets put Delaware State up 19-17.
 
Medina tied the set at 19-19 with a kill, before Delaware State closed the set on a 6-2 run to take a 2-1 lead in the match.
 
Much of the fourth set was a back-and-forth affair, though Delaware State had used a 4-1 spurt to take a 16-13 lead. After the Hornets went up 17-14, though, Hampton responded with an 8-2 run to take a 22-19 lead following a kill from Richardson.
 
The Hornets cut the lead to 22-21, but Hampton scored the last three points to tie the match.
 
The Lady Pirates hit a match-best .519 (16 kills, two errors in 27 attacks) in the fourth set, before hitting .368 (nine kills, two errors in 19 attacks) in the fifth set.
 
Delaware State hit .296 in the fifth set.
 
Delaware State led 4-3 early in the fifth set, before the Lady Pirates scored the next three points to take a 6-4 lead after a block from Tatyana Thomas. A kill from Richardson later in the set gave the Lady Pirates an 8-5 lead.
 
In fact, Hampton forced match point, taking a 14-10 lead after a kill from Medina. But five straight from the Hornets gave Delaware State a 15-14 lead, before Hampton scored three of the next four points, taking a 17-16 lead after a kill from Richardson.
 
But the Hornets fought off match point two more times, and the set was eventually tied at 19-19.
 
Delaware State scored the last two points to take the set and win the match.
 
Jasmine Jackson led the Hornets (3-24, 1-11 MEAC) with 26 kills.
 
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.