Ettrick, Va (Nov. 4, 2024)- The Virginia State Volleyball team defeated Elizabeth City State 3-1 to move into first place in the CIAA Northern Division. 

After playing to a six-to-six tie the Trojans then went on a five-point swing with kills from Morgan Green and Gracie Darville. VSU would grow their lead to 17-9 after a Kill from Amaya Cooper and a Vikings error. After three quick points from ECSU, VSU would answer with three of their own. A kill from Celene Mclean would win the set for the Trojans 25-16. 

Virginia State would once again open the second set with the lead at 12-7. The Vikings would start to chip away but two kills from Green and one from Darville made it 20-14. However, the Vikings would then go on 19-4 run to make it a one-point game in set two with the serve. The ensuing serve would see ECSU have an attacking error which put VSU up 2-0 after the 25-23 set win. 

Set three was controlled by ECSU as they held an 8-3 advantage early. However, an Anya McKinley kill started a 5-1 run for the Trojans to make it a one-point game 9-8. Continuing the runs this time the Vikings scored eight of the next nine points to increase their lead to 17-9 to have all the momentum. The Trojans did fight back into the set thanks to kills from Denver Watkins, Helena Eubanks and Green to make it 20-17. However the Vikings would win the set 25-22. 

Set four was tightly contested the whole wat through as no matter what each team did the other answered.  The largest lead either team had was four for ECSU at 14-10, but the Trojans immediately took a one-point lead 15-14 with kills from Darville and Green. From there the teams would go back and forth until the Vikings scored two points to lead 22-20. From there Virginia State would end the set on a 5-1 run. The first three points came from Vikings error then two kills from Darville ended the match. 

Both Cooper and Green recorded 15 kills and Darville ended with 10 to round out double figure kills for VSU. Leila Jackson had 23 assists while Peyton Reese had 22. With the win Virginia State improves to 12-7 and 10-3 in CIAA play while ECSU drops to 10-16 and 9-5. The Trojans return to the MPC on Thursday as they welcome Virginia Union at 6 p.m.