Bowie,
MD - Fayetteville State opened its CIAA Volleyball Championship run with grit and determination, outlasting Bluefield State in a thrilling four-set battle (25-19, 25-21, 22-25, 26-24) at Bowie State. The Broncos combined early offensive firepower with late-set composure, leaning on clutch performances from
Symone Morris and
Giovanna Teixeira to secure the quarterfinal victory and punch their ticket to the semifinals.
Fayetteville State wasted no time setting the tone in the CIAA Volleyball Championship opener, storming out to an early lead and never looking back in a 25-19 first-set victory over Bluefield State. The Broncos capitalized on aggressive swings and timely defense, building momentum behind
Amori Johnson's sharp kills and
Giovanna Teixeira's steady setting. After jumping ahead 9-2, FSU weathered a mid-set surge from the Big Blue—who closed the gap to 22-17—but
Ramona Pulu's late kill sealed the set and kept the Broncos in control.
The second set was a battle of momentum swings, with Fayetteville State ultimately pulling away for a 25-21 win to go up 2-0 in the match. The Broncos opened strong behind
Giovanna Teixeira's serving, including two early aces that pushed FSU ahead 12-10. Bluefield State fought back with blocks from Soniya Garner and Nnea Williams, trimming the deficit to 20-18 and forcing a late timeout. But the Broncos responded with clutch kills from
Ramona Pulu and
Symone Morris, and Teixeira sealed the set with her third ace of the frame.
Bluefield State refused to go quietly in the third set, clawing back into the match with a 25-22 win that kept their championship hopes alive. The Big Blue flipped the script early, using aggressive swings from Soniya Garner and Dynasty Andrews to build a 21-13 advantage. Fayetteville State rallied late behind
Milana Cvetkovski and
Ramona Pulu, trimming the deficit to 24-22, but a final attack error sealed the set for Bluefield State. The Broncos' offense sputtered under pressure, committing key errors at the net as Bluefield's block came alive.
The fourth set delivered championship drama, with Fayetteville State outlasting Bluefield State 26-24 to clinch the match. Neither team led by more than three points as the frame turned into a tug-of-war.
Symone Morris powered the Broncos with clutch kills down the stretch, while
Ramona Pulu added timely swings to keep FSU alive after Bluefield tied it at 24-all. With the pressure mounting, Morris struck again to give the Broncos match point, and
Destiny Washington sealed the victory with a decisive kill off a Teixeira set.
The win sends Fayetteville State into the semifinals riding momentum and confidence. They will face Virginia State at 2:00 PM.
