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The High Point University volleyball team battled for five sets against Norfolk State but couldn't pull out the win, falling to the Spartans 3-2 (23-25, 25-21, 27-29. 25-22, 11-15). Freshman Caity Farus had 10 blocks, six digs, five aces and four kills in the loss
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“It wasn't our best match but what matters is they we kept fighting,” said head coach Jason Oliver. “We didn't quit when we were down early and battled to a fifth set. It is something to build on as we continue to learn how to win.”

Junior Courtney Johnk led the team with 14 kills and added nine digs and seven blocks. Chelsea Davis pitched in seven kills and Kristin Heldt added six kills and five blocks. Senior Breanna Holliday led the team with 18 digs.

The first set was tied 21-21 when Norfolk State came up with back-to-back blocks to take a two-point lead. The Spartans went to set point on a kill by Adriana Ramos. Heldt kept HPU in the game with two straight kills but NSU won the frame 25-23 on a kill by Beatriz Ferreira. Johnk had five kills on 10 swings without an error for HPU.

The Panthers pulled out a 25-21 win in the second set, holding Norfolk State to a -.069 attack percentage. HPU was tough from the service line, keeping the Spartans out of system. Johnk and Michelle Chakirelis had two kills each in the frame. One of Johnk's kills gave HPU a 21-20 lead. Stephanie Kaminskas earned a kill to make it a two-point lead that the Panthers would hold to win the set.

It took Norfolk State extra points but the Spartans pulled out a 29-27 win in the third set. They led 24-21 but the Panthers went on a four-point run with Farus at the service line to take a 25-24 lead. Farus had two aces in the run. The teams traded leads until the Spartans went up 28-27 on a net error by Heldt. Chakirelis had an attack error to give NSU the 29-27 win.

As in the first three sets, the fourth frame was tied late with the score knotted 22-22. Farus came through with a kill to put the Panthers ahead. Farus and Johnk combined to block Norfolk State's Charlotte Armstead and bring up HPU set point. Johnk had the set-winning kill for HPU on an assist from Kaminskas. The Panthers won the set 25-22 to force a fifth.

HPU jumped out to a 7-3 lead in the final set but Norfolk State battled back to an 8-8 tie. The Spartans took the lead on a kill by Jasmine Frazier and went on to win the set 15-11 and the match 3-2.

The Panthers are back in action at 7 p.m. in the final match of the HPU Invitational against Maryland – Eastern Shore.