Ettrick, Va. (October 30, 2023)- The Virginia State volleyball team welcomed Bluefield State into the MPC and won the match 3-1 (25-20, 25-15, 20-25, 25-15). 

In the first set BSU held a 14-13 lead before the Trojans rattled off seven straight points with three errors and three service aces with one kill coming from Peyton Resse. However, Bluefield State quickly tied the game with six straight points. Kills from Leila Jackson, Kennedy Hoge and Amaya Cooper lead VSU to end the set with five of the next six points to win the set. 

The second set was in complete control of Virginia State as they opened with a 14-6 advantage. During the run four different players registered a kill and Hoge would have three straight kills for points 9-11. After the initial run ended VSU started up another 8-2 run that featured an even four errors from the Big Blue and kills from Hoge, Leyla Conley and Reese to make it 22-10. Bluefield scored five of the last eight points but a kill from Reese secured the win for VSU. 

Set three was tightly contested as both teams were knotted up at 11. Both teams would score three straight points to keep the set tied. BSU would then go on to score five of the next six points to gain some separation, but VSU would answer with four of the next five points with kills from Cooper and Conley to make it 19-17. However, Bluefield would double up the remaining points and win the set 25-20 to keep the match alive. 

The fourth set was back-and-forth to start out as VSU would hold a two-point advantage at 10-8 before pouring on 11 of the next 13 points. During the run four different player registered a kill and Reese registered a service ace. Kelsea Saulny registered the kill that ended the match to make it 25-15. 

Hoge led the team with 13 kills and Helena Eubanks was right behind with 11 kills. Reese recorded 23 assists while Jackson had 15 respectfully. To start the month of November the Trojans travel to Elizabeth City State on Thursday November 2 at 6:00 p.m.