WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.- The Winston-Salem State University used five sets (25-20, 17-25, 25-22, 21-25, 16-14) to defeat Virginia State 3-2 Monday night inside Whitaker Gym.

With the win, the Rams are now 15-16 overall and advance to the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) semifinals on Friday afternoon.

VSU opened set one on a 4-0 scoring run and the Rams responded by scoring four unanswered to tie the match early on at 4-4. Points went back-and-forth but two big scoring runs late in the set for the Rams gave them the 25-20 advantage and the 1-0 lead in the match.

The Trojans used an early  8-2 scoring run to their advantage to take an early lead and eventually the set 25-17 to tie the match 1-1.

The Rams answered back winning set three 25-22 in a nail-biting finish to take a 2-1 lead. VSU responded by winning set four 25-21 to tie the match at 2-2 to force a winner take all fifth set.

WSSU had an 8-6 advantage in the fifth set win the teams flipped sides and were up 13-10 before VSU went on a scoring run resulting in the match being tied at 14-all. The Rams scored the last two points to take the set, 16-14, and the match 3-2.
 
Inside the Numbers
Kills        Lanier, Sanaa (13), Davis, Rheign (11), Young, Breonna (9)
Aces       Wallace, Myra (2), Lanier, Sanaa (2), Norwood, Brooke (1)
Blocks   Young, Breona (2), Lanier, Sanaa (1), Gray, Raven (1)
Assists  Norwood, Brooke (16), McClinton, Kaylen (10), Bowden, Angel (8)
Digs        Wallace, Myra (15), Lanier, Sanaa (11), Joyner, Paris (6)

Up Next
The Rams advance to the semifinals on Friday, November 11th taking on Shaw at 5 p.m. at the Salem Civic Center in Salem, Virginia.