WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Winston-Salem State defeated Johnson C. Smith 3-0 (25-15, 25-15, 25-11) on Monday, improving to 15-11 overall and 11-8 in CIAA play.

The Rams hit .295 with 46 kills while limiting the Golden Bulls (1-20, 1-18 CIAA) to 19 kills and a .040 hitting percentage. Holiday Ellis led WSSU with 17 kills on a .593 hitting percentage.

WSSU also held advantages in digs (58-36), service aces (6-1) and total blocks (4-1). The Rams used decisive service runs of 10 and nine points to pull away in the opening and final sets.

The Rams took control of the first set by turning a 9-8 advantage into a 19-8 lead with a 10-0 run, including nine consecutive service points with Zaria Keys at the line. WSSU opened with an ace from Keys and a kill by Kamiyah Wilson before adding attacks from Ellis and Zoe Chesson and a block by Alyssa Noble and Chesson.

During the decisive run, Wilson, Jewel Pitt, Ellis and Keys recorded kills, while Keys added another ace. The Golden Bulls ended the stretch with a service error, but WSSU continued to build its lead with kills from Ellis, Aria Caldwell and Sarah Sanders. A JCSU bad set gave the Rams a 25-15 win.

WSSU pulled away late in the second set, turning a 17-13 lead into set point at 24-14 by winning seven of the next eight rallies. Ellis recorded four kills during the stretch.

The Rams opened the set with a block by Noble and another by Ellis and Wilson before JCSU rallied to take a 9-8 lead. Consecutive kills from Skylar White and Keys put WSSU back in front, 10-9. After the Golden Bulls tied the score, kills from Tehani Moniz, White and Sanders helped the Rams build a 13-10 advantage.

WSSU maintained its momentum with additional kills from Sanders and Keys before Ellis finished the set with a kill off a set from Pitt, securing another 25-15 victory.

The Rams closed the match emphatically in the third set, using a 9-0 run to turn a 6-4 lead into a 15-4 advantage. Pitt served eight consecutive points during the stretch, which featured kills from Chesson and Ellis, a service ace by Pitt and a block by Ellis and Chesson.

JCSU briefly gained ground in the middle of the set, but WSSU continued to apply pressure with kills from Ellis, Caldwell and Chesson. Caldwell sealed the 25-11 victory with a service ace, completing the sweep.

Rams Top Performers
Holiday Ellis

• 19 points
• 17 kills with 1 error on 27 attempts
• .593 hitting percentage
• 2 blocks

Zaria Keys

• 19 assists
• 8 digs
• 4 kills on .667 hitting
• 2 service aces

Kalyn Cuthbertson

• team-high 15 digs
• 5 assists

Jewel Pitt

• 13 digs
• 2 service aces

Zoe Chesson

• 6 kills with 1 error on 10 attempts
• .500 hitting percentage
• 2 blocks

Up Next
The Rams travel to Salisbury, N.C., to face Livingstone College on Thursday, Oct. 29, at 6 p.m.

For more information on Winston-Salem State Athletics and its 12 varsity sports, visit wssurams.com.