WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The Winston-Salem State University women's volleyball team (17-11, 13-8 CIAA) secured an exciting 3-2 victory over Claflin University on Monday, November 2, at Whitaker Gymnasium. After falling behind 2-1, the Lady Rams rallied to win the final two sets, earning an important CIAA victory and improving their conference record.
WSSU showed determination and resilience throughout the matchup, fighting back to close out the five-set thriller. The victory also provided an exciting Senior Night celebration as the Rams continued their push toward the CIAA Tournament.
Winston-Salem State Women's Volleyball
The Winston-Salem State University women's volleyball team defeated Claflin University 3-2 on Monday, Nov. 2, improving to 17-11 overall and 13-8 in CIAA play. After dropping the first set 25-20, the Rams responded with a 25-22 victory in the second set. Claflin regained the lead with a 25-23 third-set win, but WSSU answered with a 25-18 victory in the fourth set before closing out the match with an 18-16 win in the fifth.
Holiday Ellis led the Rams offensively with an outstanding performance, recording 26 kills, 35 digs and 27 points. Kalyn Cuthbertson contributed five service aces, 22 digs and five assists, while Celina Johnson recorded 29 assists and eight digs. Zaria Keys added 21 assists and 13 digs, while Jewel Pitt contributed 18 digs and two kills.
The Rams demonstrated their determination by overcoming a two-set-to-one deficit. WSSU took control of the fourth set early, building a lead behind strong offensive performances from Ellis and Tehani Moniz. In the deciding fifth set, the teams battled through several ties before Zoe Chesson and Ellis delivered the final kills to secure the 18-16 victory.
Fayetteville State
Fayetteville State University enters the postseason with a strong 21-4 overall record and an 18-3 mark in CIAA play. The Broncos have recorded 1,167 kills through 93 sets, averaging 12.55 kills per set, while hitting .209 as a team. Fayetteville State is also averaging 11.15 assists, 2.05 service aces, 15.67 digs and 1.59 blocks per set.
Kemyah Harris leads the Broncos offensively with 249 kills, followed by Mya Hejl with 204 kills and McKenna Miller with 177 kills. Giovanna Teixeira leads the team with 436 assists, while Jasmine Culp leads in service aces with 35 and defensive digs with 292. At the net, Hejl leads the Broncos with 66 blocks.
The Rams will look to carry their momentum from the hard-fought victory over Claflin into the postseason as they prepare for the CIAA Tournament. With the regular season coming to a close, WSSU will look to continue its strong play and compete for a conference championship.
Up Next
Stay tuned as the Lady Rams head to Rocky Mount, NC, for the CIAA Women's Volleyball Tournament on November 9th! Come out and support our Rams as they compete for a CIAA Championship!
For more information on Winston-Salem State Athletics and its 12 varsity sports, visit wssurams.com.
