Raleigh, N.C. (Nov. 14, 2023)- The Virginia State volleyball team dropped a CIAA quarterfinal match to St. Augustine's University, via a reverse sweep 3-2 (25-20, 25-23, 19-25, 17-25, 6-15). 

The Trojans started the match with an 8-3 run with Helena Eubanks recording two kills and Amaya Cooper recording the only other kill during the run. The Falcons, however, would score six of the next seven points to tie the game at nine. SAU would start to build a bit of a lead as they would only allow two points as they would get to 16 points. VSU would fight back to make it a tie game at 17, after a Eubanks kill. Eubanks would register another kill to help Virginia State be the first team to the 20-point mark with SAU being at 18. Cooper would register three of the final five kills for the Trojans as they won set one 25-20. 

The second set was played back-and-forth affair as the teams were tied at 9 apiece before the Trojans rattled off six straight points to make the score 14-9. The Trojans held a 16-13 advantage after kills from Peyton Reese and Taniyah Epps, but the Falcons continued to claw back into the set with two quick kills to make it a one-point set. VSU would again be the first team to get to the 20-point mark after an attack error by SAU, holding a one-point advantage. Back-to-back kills from Cooper and Jennah Karem plus a service ace from Aaliyah Bethea made it a 23-20 game. Then after three straight points from SAU, Reese recorded a kill followed by a Kennedy Hoge service ace. That put the Trojans up two sets to zero. 

The third set was once again a tightly contested affair as the teams played to a 12 until the falcons scored two straight points to make it a 14-12 set. The Falcons did not let up as they were up by eight points, 20-12. VSU would score three straight points to end the run and try to get back into the set and get the sweep, but SAU would win the set 25-19. 

VSU in the fourth set jumped out to an early seven to three lead with help from three attack errors from SAU. The Trojans would get to 15 points first holding a four-point advantage. However, SAU would score nine of the next 10 points to get to the 20-point threshold. A Reese kill was responsible for the one point for VSU. The Falcons would win the set 25-17 to even up the scoring two all. 

In the deciding set SAU jumped out early with four points compared to VSU two. Leyla Conley and an attack error were how the Trojans scored. SAU would be the first team to reach eight points compared to VSU's five points. After that SAU would answer a kill from Reese with seven straight points to pull off the reverse sweep, 15-6. 

Eubanks ended with a team high 14 kills, Reese was one kill away from a triple double as she had 29 assists and 18 digs. With the loss Virginia State ends the season with a 10-16 record, while St. Augustine's moves to 13-12 and obtains a spot in the CIAA semifinals at Bowie State.