WINSTON-SALEM, NC --The Fayetteville State volleyball team secured a hard-fought victory over the Winston-Salem Rams, winning 3-2 (26-24, 25-17, 20-25, 17-25, 15-13) on Wednesday at C. E. Gaines Gymnasium. This win improved the Broncos' record to 5-0 overall and 1-0 in CIAA play, while the Rams fell to 1-5 overall and 0-1 in the conference.

Chiara Vittoni led the Broncos' offense with 19 kills and a .333 hitting percentage. Defensively, the team had strong performances from Jasmine Culp, who recorded 20 digs and four aces, and Tione Freeman and Jourdan Page, who each contributed 11 digs. Chayse Daniels also played a crucial role with a team-high 23 assists.

For Winston-Salem State, Janai Tillman led the team with 12 kills and a .226 hitting percentage, while Zoe Chesson contributed 11 kills with an impressive .714 hitting percentage. Defensively, Kalyn Cuthbertson led with 12 digs, supported by Malani Martin who had 12.

In the first set, the Broncos edged out the Rams 26-24 in a closely contested game that saw five lead changes and ten ties. Fayetteville State carried this momentum into the second set, winning 25-17 without ever trailing. The Broncos' offense was bolstered by six aces in this set.

The Rams fought back in the third set, winning 25-20, and continued their comeback by taking the fourth set 25-17, tying the match at two sets apiece. Fayetteville State struggled to keep up, trailing by as many as 11 points in the fourth set.

The decisive fifth set was a nail-biter, featuring five lead changes and ten ties. Ultimately, the Broncos emerged victorious with a 15-13 win, showcasing their resilience and teamwork to close out the match.

The Broncos will travel to Raleigh, NC to play Shaw University on Thursday, September 19th at 6:00 pm.