FAYETTEVILLE, NC -- Fayetteville State used a dominant defensive front to sweep Livingstone College in straight sets (25-14, 25-19, 25-12) Thursday evening at Felton J. Capel Arena.
The win improved the Broncos to 14-4 overall and 10-1 in CIAA play, while Livingstone dropped to 8-9 overall and 3-5 in conference action.
Senior outside hitter Ramona Pulu led the Broncos with a match-high 10 kills, while Symone Morris and Jasmine Culp anchored the back row with 14 and 13 digs, respectively. Chantiya Johnson was a force at the net, contributing five blocks to help limit the Blue Bears' offense. Setter Giovanna Teixeira directed the offense with 18 assists and added two service aces.
In Set 1, Fayetteville State broke a 5-5 tie and never trailed again, using five team blocks and a balanced attack to build a 12-point lead before closing the set 25-14. Pulu, Johnson, and Teixeira each contributed key kills, while Destiny Washington and Tione Freeman added service aces to fuel the momentum.
Livingstone kept things close early in set 2, but Fayetteville State grabbed the lead for good at 11-10. Morris and Courtlynn Edwards sparked a mid-set run with back-to-back kills, while Johnson and Milana Cvetkovski teamed up for a crucial block to halt a rally. Teixeira continued to orchestrate the offense with precision, and the Broncos pulled away late to win 25-19.
The Broncos dominated the final frame, jumping ahead 2-1 and never looking back. Teixeira served back-to-back aces and added a kill during a 9-2 run that gave Fayetteville State full control. Morris and Amori Johnson added kills, while Pulu and Chantiya Johnson continued to apply pressure at the net. The Broncos led by as many as 14 points and closed out the match with a kill from Morris to seal the 25-12 win.
Fayetteville State has been led this season by outside hitter Chiara Vittoni, who has totaled 150 kills and averages 3.41 kills per set. Setter Giovanna Teixeira continues to pace the offense with 339 assists (7.70 per set), while libero Jasmine Culp leads the team in digs with 178 (4.05 per set). At the net, Chantiya Johnson has recorded 52 blocks (1.18 per set), and Symone Morris leads in service aces with 16.
Livingstone has relied on outside hitter Riley Love, who leads the team with 192 kills (3.15 per set). Setter Justyce McKennie has distributed 213 assists (4.10 per set), while Mackenzie Morgan has contributed consistently on defense. Da'Maia Bryant led the Blue Bears in blocks during Thursday's match, and Mya Dalpiaz has served up 13 aces this season.
Fayetteville State returns to action on Monday, October 27, traveling to Raleigh, N.C. to face Shaw University. First serve is scheduled for 6 p.m. as the Broncos continue their push toward the CIAA tournament.
