CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Winston-Salem State women's volleyball team (6-4, 2-1 CIAA) defeated Johnson C. Smith 3-0 on Monday night, winning 25-18, 25-14, 25-15. The Rams finished with a 27-20 advantage in kills and hit .200 while JCSU hit -.013.
WSSU opened the first set with a
Holiday Ellis kill and two JCSU setting errors for a 3-0 lead, but the Golden Bulls answered with six straight points, including two service aces by Karmah Thomas, to move ahead 6-3.
Zaria Keys stopped that stretch with a kill, and
Kalyn Cuthbertson served three aces during a five-point Rams run that put them back in front 8-6. After the teams traded points through 14-12,
Aria Caldwell's kill started a six-point WSSU surge that also included an
Angelica Turnage kill and four Golden Bulls attack errors for a 20-12 advantage. JCSU cut the margin to 22-18, but the Rams took the final three points on a bad set and two attack errors to close the set 25-18.
The Rams moved ahead 4-0 in the second set on
Jewel Pitt's service turn, getting an Ellis kill from Keys, a service ace and a
Kamiyah Wilson block before JCSU came back to tie it at 4-4. After the teams were level at 5-5, WSSU rebuilt the lead with kills by Ellis and Turnage, a Wilson-assisted block and two Keys aces to go ahead 16-9. The Golden Bulls got to 16-10, but a service error gave the Rams the next point, and Pitt served seven straight as a Pitt kill, a Wilson kill and five JCSU attack errors stretched the score to 24-10. The Golden Bulls scored the next four points, but a service error ended the set with WSSU taking it 25-14.
After JCSU tied the third set at 8-8 on a Rylea Ross service ace, the Rams ran off six straight points, with Caldwell's kill, a Keys ace and a Wilson kill helping push the lead to 14-8. The Golden Bulls got back within 14-11 behind Lauren Joiner's kill and a Destini Johnson ace, but WSSU moved to 16-11 on a service error and another Wilson kill before kills by Wilson and Caldwell made it 19-13. The Rams won seven of eight rallies from 17-13 to 24-14, including a Pitt kill, Caldwell kill, a
Skylar White/Keys block and a White kill, before Ellis finished the 25-15 set with a kill from
Celina Johnson.
Rams Top Performers
Aria Caldwell
- team-high 7 kills
- .556 hitting percentage
- 4 digs
Holiday Ellis
- team-high 10 digs
- 5 kills
- 1 service ace
- 1 block
Zaria Keys
- team-high 16 assists
- 3 service aces
- 1 block
Kamiyah Wilson
- team-high 3 blocks, including 2 solo
- 4 kills
- 6.5 points
Kalyn Cuthbertson
Up Next
The Rams will host the 2026 CIAA Round-Up #1 from Friday, Oct. 2 through Sunday, Oct. 4 inside C.E. Gaines Arena and Whitaker Gymnasium.
For more information on Winston-Salem State Athletics and its 12 varsity sports, visit wssurams.com.
