BRISTOL, TN — The Winston-Salem State University women's volleyball team (4-3) closed out the King's Classic Friday with a pair of victories inside the Student Center Complex.
The Rams opened the final day with a 3-0 sweep of Saint Anselm (30-28, 25-15, 25-19) before rallying for a 3-2 victory over Emory & Henry (24-26, 25-21, 18-25, 25-16, 15-12) in the tournament finale.
GAME ONE | Winston-Salem State, 3 - Saint Anselm, 0
WSSU opened the final day with a hard-fought sweep of Saint Anselm, overcoming a tight first set before taking control in the final two frames. The Rams finished with 37 kills, five service aces, eight total blocks and 67 digs while hitting .168 as a team.
SET 1 | The Rams and Hawks battled throughout the opening frame, with WSSU eventually pulling out a 30-28 victory. The Rams recorded 16 kills and three blocks in the extended set.
SET 2 | Winston-Salem State took control in the second set, limiting Saint Anselm to nine kills and a -.042 hitting percentage. The Rams used seven kills, three blocks and a service ace to secure a 25-15 victory and take a 2-0 lead.
SET 3 | WSSU closed out the sweep with a strong offensive performance, recording 14 kills while holding Saint Anselm to a .083 hitting percentage. The Rams pulled away late for a 25-19 victory.
Top Performers vs. Saint Anselm
- Angelica Turnage: 12 kills, .348 hitting percentage, 2 blocks
- Zaria Keys: 14 assists, 11 digs, 2 service aces
- Jewel Pitt: 4 kills, 11 digs
- Kalyn Cuthbertson: 19 digs, 1 service ace
- Zoe Chesson: 4 kills, 5 blocks
- Aria Caldwell: 4 kills, 3 blocks
- Kamiyah Wilson: 4 kills, 3 blocks
- Holiday Ellis: 4 kills, 10 digs, 2 service aces
GAME TWO | Winston-Salem State, 3 - Emory & Henry, 2
The Rams closed the tournament with a five-set thriller against Emory & Henry, rallying after dropping the first and third sets to earn a 3-2 victory. WSSU finished with 58 kills, eight service aces, 12 total blocks and 86 digs.
SET 1 | Emory & Henry took the opening set, 26-24, despite 11 kills from WSSU. The Rams and Wasps battled through a tightly contested frame before Emory & Henry secured the final two points.
SET 2 | Winston-Salem State answered with a 25-21 victory, using 11 kills, three blocks and a service ace to even the match at 1-1.
SET 3 | Emory & Henry regained the lead with a 25-18 win in the third set. The Wasps recorded 15 kills, while the Rams finished with 11 kills.
SET 4 | The Rams responded with their strongest offensive performance of the match, recording 14 kills and five blocks to pull away for a 25-16 victory and force a decisive fifth set.
SET 5 | WSSU completed the comeback with a 15-12 victory. The Rams battled through the final frame before consecutive kills from
Kamiyah Wilson and
Aria Caldwell closed out the match and secured the tournament-ending victory.
Top Performers vs. Emory & Henry
- Angelica Turnage: 13 kills, .273 hitting percentage, 5 blocks
- Zoe Chesson: 9 kills, .467 hitting percentage, 5 blocks
- Kamiyah Wilson: 9 kills, 5 blocks
- Holiday Ellis: 11 kills, 18 digs, 4 service aces
- Zaria Keys: 26 assists, 10 digs, 1 service ace
- Celina Johnson: 22 assists
- Kalyn Cuthbertson: 20 digs, 2 service aces
- Jewel Pitt: 4 kills, 15 digs, 1 service ace
Day Two Totals
Across the two matches, Turnage led the Rams with 25 kills and a .305 hitting percentage, while Chesson added 13 kills and 10 total blocks. Keys finished the day with 40 assists and 21 digs, while Cuthbertson recorded 39 digs and three service aces. WSSU totaled 95 kills, 13 service aces, 20 blocks and 153 digs across the two victories.
Up Next
The Rams will see the court again on Monday, Sept. 21st, opening conference play against rival Fayetteville State. First serve is scheduled for 6 p.m., inside Whitaker Gymnasium.
For more information on Winston-Salem State Athletics and its 12 varsity sports, visit wssurams.com.
