CHARLESTON, WV -- Kemyah Harris led a balanced Fayetteville State attack with 11 kills, but the Broncos saw their three-match winning streak come to an end with a 3-1 loss to Charleston (WV) Saturday afternoon inside the Wehrle Innovation Center.
FayettevilleState (3-1) battled through a tightly contested opening set before Charleston (WV) (6-7) secured the match by scores of 28-26, 21-25, 25-18 and 25-16.
Harris paced the Broncos with 11 kills, while Neves Nascimento added 10 kills. Miller contributed eight kills, and Hejl finished with six kills while also playing a role at the net with two solo blocks and one block assist. Amori Johnson provided an efficient performance with four kills on 13 attempts and just one error, hitting .231.
Melissa Gonzalez directed the offense with a team-high 21 assists and added eight digs, while Giovanna Teixeira recorded 15 assists and 11 digs. Jasmine Culp anchored the back row with a team-high 19 digs and also supplied three service aces. Fayetteville State finished with 46 kills, 43 assists, 72 digs, four aces and six total blocks.
The Broncos had opportunities to take control early. In a first set that featured 12 ties and seven lead changes, Fayetteville State built a 17-11 advantage before Charleston worked its way back into the frame. The Broncos later reached set point at 24-23 and again held a 25-24 advantage, but the Golden Eagles answered each time before closing the set with consecutive points for a 28-26 victory.
Fayetteville State responded in the second. The Broncos jumped ahead 7-2 behind a strong start that included kills from Mya Hejl, McKenna Miller and Harris. Charleston cut the margin to 12-11, but Fayetteville State answered with a decisive run and stretched its lead to 22-14. Hejl eventually delivered a kill to make it 24-20 before the Broncos finished off the 25-21 win to even the match at one set apiece.
The momentum shifted after the break. Fayetteville State held a 15-12 lead midway through the third set, but Charleston rallied to tie the frame at 15 before taking control down the stretch. The Golden Eagles closed the set on a 10-3 run to win 25-18 and move ahead 2-1.
Charleston carried that momentum into the fourth. After the teams battled through a 6-6 tie, the Golden Eagles gradually created separation and built a 21-12 advantage. Fayetteville State made a late push behind kills from Harris and Leticia Neves Nascimento, but Charleston closed out the match 25-16.
Charleston was led offensively by Divine Muo, who put down a match-high 16 kills while hitting .448. Patrycja Majos added 12 kills, while Jasmine Broberg recorded eight kills and 16 digs. Sahana Rajesh led all players with 26 digs, and London Upchurch finished with 25 assists. The Golden Eagles hit .190 for the match and totaled 47 kills, 67 digs, six aces and 13 total blocks.
The Broncos now turn their attention to conference play as Fayetteville State travels to Winston-Salem State on Monday, Sept. 21, for its CIAA opener. The match is scheduled for 6 p.m. in Winston-Salem, N.C.
