WINSTON-SALEM, NC –The Winston-Salem State Rams (13-6, 9-2 CIAA) clicked on all cylinders when the team rolled to a three-set win over the Livingstone Blue Bears (7-9, 4-7 CIAA), Thursday evening. The Rams dominated each set of the match as they held their opponents to under 20 points in all three sets, winning, 25-15, 25-13, and 25-11.

The Rams took the win behind one of their top defensive performances of the season when they held Livingstone to just 17 kills for the entire match. Offensively, the Rams had one of their most efficient matches of the season when the team totaled 38 kills with only 14 attack errors. WSSU junior outside hitter Jasmine Smith led the way for the Rams with a team-high 11 kills with eight digs while fellow junior Sydney Holland added nine kills with 16 digs in the match as well.

The Rams never trailed in the match as the team took control early and never looked back. The Rams opened the set with an 8-3 run. The Rams pushed their lead to double-digits after a kill from sophomore Tasia Chambers capped a 7-2 WSSU run that left the Rams on top, 23-13. The rest was academic as senior middle blocker Jocelyn Mills and Smith recorded kills that went around LC kills to end the set with the 25-15 win.

The second set was the most competitive set of the match with the two teams playing to a 3-3 tie before WSSU mounted a 14-7 lead after an 11-4 run that included three kills from Smith. The WSSU lead grew to as many as 12 points, 22-10 after an 8-2 WSSU run. From there Livingstone staged a rally scoring three points before the Rams closed out the set with a Mills kill that sealed the 25-13 set victory.

The third set was the most dominating for the Rams as the team cruised from beginning to end. After opening the set with nine unanswered points, the Rams continued their push to take a 17-3 lead. Livingstone showed much life in the remainder of the set, but in the end, the Rams were too much as they took the 25-11 set win.

With the victory, the Rams improve to 13-6 overall and 9-2 in Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) play. The team will return to action this weekend when they head to Lee-McRae to take part in a tri-match where they will face the host Bobcats as well as the Barton Bulldogs.

For more information on Rams volleyball, contact the WSSU Office of Athletic Media Relations at (336) 750-2143 or log on to www.WSSURams.com.