HAMPTON, Va. – The Hampton University volleyball team lost its MEAC and home opener Friday evening in Holland Hall, as Morgan State came away with a 3-1 (21-25, 29-27, 25-14, 25-19) win.
 
The Lady Pirates are now 0-14 (0-1 MEAC) on the season.
 
Reeana Richardson led the Lady Pirates with a career-high 17 kills, while Allysa Media registered 11 kills for her third double-digit performance of the season. Medina also hit a match-best .321 and racked up a team-high 10 digs for her second double-double of 2015.
 
Mallory Beard had two of Hampton's three service aces. Alexandra Erhart had 21 assists, while Brianna Lilly added 19.
 
Richardson added seven digs. Kyndall Nicholas tied her career high with six blocks, while Lena Washington added nine kills – tying her career high – and three blocks.
 
The Lady Pirates hit .171 for the match – including a match-best .423 in the first set thanks to 16 kills and just five errors in 26 attacks.
 
Hampton led 5-1 early in the opening frame before Morgan State (4-11, 1-0 MEAC) cut the lead to 7-5. Another 5-1 spurt gave the Lady Pirates a 12-6 lead following a block from Nicholas and Washington, before the Bears cut the lead to 13-10 after a 4-1 mini-run.
 
But a 5-2 Lady Pirates run grew the lead to 18-12 on a Richardson kill, and Nicholas later added a kill to put Hampton up 19-13.
 
Washington gave Hampton a 23-17 lead later in the set before Morgan State scored the next three points to cut the lead to 23-20. But Medina forced set point with a kill on the next rally, and following another Morgan State point, a Bears service error put the Lady Pirates up 1-0 in the match.
 
Hampton carried that momentum into the opening moments of the second set, taking a 5-2 lead. The Lady Pirates also held a 6-3 lead before the Bears scored the next three points to tie the set. Medina capped a 4-2 spurt with a kill that put the Lady Pirates up 10-8.
 
Morgan State clawed back to tie the set six times after that before ultimately taking a 17-16 lead. Hampton scored three of the next five points, taking a 19-18 lead after a Washington and Nicholas block. A kill from Washington later gave Hampton a 20-19 lead.
 
After the Bears tied the set at 20-20, the Lady Pirates scored the next three points – only to see Morgan State do the same to tie the set at 23-23. That led to a constant back-and-forth between the two teams, each forcing set point before the other stormed back to take its own lead.
 
Medina gave the Lady Pirates a 27-26 lead with a kill, and Hampton was one point away from going up 2-0 in the match. But Morgan State answered with three straight points, taking the second set 29-27 and tying the match.
 
Morgan State hit .382 in the second set.
 
Hampton took a 4-1 lead early in the third set before a 6-1 Bears run put Morgan State up 7-5. Three ties followed, with the Lady Pirates tying the set at 9-9 after a kill from Medina. But Morgan State went on a 6-1 run to take a 15-10 lead.
 
The Lady Pirates cut that lead to 15-13 before the Bears closed the set on a 10-1 run to take a 2-1 lead in the match.
 
The Bears led 6-4 in the early moments of the fourth set before the Lady Pirates scored the next four points – taking an 8-6 lead after a kill from Richardson, back-to-back aces from Bears, and a Morgan State attack error.
 
But the Bears answered with a 5-1 run to take an 11-9 lead. Hampton fought back and later took a 14-13 lead… and then even later still a 16-14 lead.
 
Morgan State responded by going on an 8-1 run, taking a 22-17 lead, before Richardson and Medina each had late kills to bring the Lady Pirates within 23-19. But the Bears scored the last two points to take the set and win the match.
 
This was just Morgan State's second win over Hampton since 2012.
 
Keana Browne led three Bears in double figures with 15 kills.
 
Hampton will play host to Coppin State on Sunday 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.