RALEIGH, NC – Despite a career-high 31 digs from Najlaa Williams, VSU Volleyball fell short to Winston – Salem State 1-3 in their first match of the CIAA Volleyball Roundup #2 (21-25, 25-10, 21-25, 19-25)


Game Notes

• The CIAA digs leader in Najlaa Williams led the match once again with a ridiculous 31 digs which gave her a new career-high. Not only has Williams set a new team-high she set a new conference-high with her 31 digs.
• Makayla Berry led the Trojans with nine kills while Helena Eubanks accounted for seven on a .208 hitting percentage.
• For the first time this season, Zaria Irons led the team with three service aces. Irons also led the match with four blocks.
• For the second match in-a-row Emma Quarles led the Trojans with 17 assists while Makenzy Johnson ended with 13.
• Despite the loss the Trojans earned the slight edge in digs, assists, blocks, service aces and points.

 
 
How It Happened
SET 1 | After a back-and-fourth start, WSSU earned slight breathing room after scoring three straight points to go up 5-7. A kill from Zaria Irons and a service ace from Kennedy Hoge earned back-to-back points to pull to within one at 10-11. The Rams then went on a 7-1 scoring run to push their lead to 13-21. The Trojans answered with a 6-2 scoring run headlined by blocks from Zaria Irons which made the score now 19-23. As the Trojans attempted to make one last push for the lead, the Rams would go on to close out the set 21-25.

SET 2 | The Trojans came out angry in the second set as they scored six of seven points to take a 9-3 lead. VSU followed that with a 10-1 scoring run to make the score 19-5. A kill from Amaya Cooper ended the set with the Trojans winning 25-10.

SET 3 | The Rams started the third set with a 1-5 lead. The Trojans found some momentum as they scored eight points straight to take the lead 12-8. After the two teams traded points, the Rams scored five straight to gain the lead back 13-16. After the Rams went up 16-21, VSU scored four points straight to bring themselves to within one at 20-21. The Rams would go on to score four of the next five to earn the victory in set three 21-25

SET 4 | Winston – Salem State opened the fourth set with an 8-0 run. While the Trojans ended the scoring run with an ace by Jennah Kareem, the Rams went on to score five more points to take a 1-13 lead. The Rams continued to control the set 10-23. As the Trojans scored nine of the next 10 points, WSSU was able to close out the match after winning set four 19-25.


What's Next
The Trojans will get a chance to redeem themselves at 5:00 p.m. against Johnson C. Smith to wrap up day one of the second CIAA Volleyball Roundup.


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