BLUEFIELD, W.V. – The Winston-Salem State University women's volleyball team (11-7, 7-4 CIAA) fell to Bluefield State, 3-2, on Monday night. The Rams claimed the first and third sets, 25-21 and 25-22, but dropped the final two sets, 23-25 and 10-15.
The Rams erased a 19-13 deficit and closed the first set with five consecutive points to earn a 25-21 victory.
Sarah Sanders served during a three-point run that included a
Kamiyah Wilson block, an
Aria Caldwell kill and a Sanders service ace, helping WSSU pull even at 20-20. After Bluefield State regained a 21-20 lead, Wilson tied the score with a kill and served the final four points as
Celina Johnson, Sanders,
Zoe Chesson and Caldwell each recorded a kill.
WSSU faced an 18-10 deficit in the second set but responded with four consecutive points, including two Wilson kills and a Sanders service ace, to cut the margin to 18-14. Chesson added kills at 22-18 and 24-20 to keep the Rams within reach, but B-State closed the set, 25-21, on a WSSU setting error.
The Rams bounced back in the third set after falling behind 11-3. Ellis recorded a kill and followed with back-to-back service aces to help WSSU take an 18-16 lead. After Bluefield State tied the set at 21-21, the Rams responded with a kill from
Jewel Pitt, a Wilson-Ellis block, an Ellis kill and a Johnson-Chesson block to secure a 25-22 victory.
WSSU remained competitive throughout the fourth set but could not close out the match. The Rams held a 19-16 lead following a Big Blue attack error, but the home team rallied to tie the score at 20-20. Bluefield State later took a 24-22 lead on consecutive WSSU attack errors. Ellis pulled the Rams within one with a kill off a Sanders assist, but B-State closed the set, 25-23, on a kill by Jada Burns.
In the decisive fifth set, Bluefield State built an early 6-1 advantage and later led 12-6. Wilson recorded three kills off assists from Johnson as WSSU attempted to rally. An Ellis kill, a block by Chesson and Caldwell, and a B-State attack error brought the Rams within 12-9, but the home team closed out the set, 15-10, to secure the match.
WSSU finished with 59 assists, well above its season average of 37.82, and recorded 11 total blocks, surpassing its season average of 7.06. Cuthbertson also reached a career milestone, surpassing 1,000 career digs.
Rams Top Performers
Kamiyah Wilson
- Season-high 21.5 points
- Season-high 16 kills with two errors on 26 attempts
- .538 hitting percentage
- Team-high eight total blocks, including three solo blocks
Holiday Ellis
- Team-high 17 kills
- 19.5 points
- 14 digs
- Two service aces
Celina Johnson
- 57 assists
- Four blocks
- Four digs
- One service ace
Zoe Chesson
- Season-high 12 kills with two errors on 25 attempts
- .400 hitting percentage
- Three blocks
- 13.5 points
Sarah Sanders
- Eight kills with two errors on 16 attempts
- .375 hitting percentage
- Two service aces
- Seven digs
Up Next
WSSU travels to Petersburg, Virginia, to compete in the CIAA Round-Up #2, hosted by Virginia State University, on Friday, Oct. 16 through Sunday, Oct. 18.
For more information on Winston-Salem State Athletics and its 12 varsity sports, visit wssurams.com.
