WINSTON-SALEM, NC – Fayetteville State opened CIAA play with a statement Monday night, surviving a back-and-forth battle with Winston-Salem State to earn a 3-2 victory inside Whitaker Gymnasium.
The Broncos took the opening set 25-16 before Winston-Salem State responded by winning two consecutive sets, 28-26 and 28-26. With their backs against the wall, Fayetteville State answered with a 25-23 victory in the fourth and dominated the deciding fifth set, 15-6. The victory improved Fayetteville State to 4-1 overall and 1-0 in CIAA play, while Winston-Salem State fell to 4-4 overall and 0-1 in the conference.
Fayetteville State's offense proved to be the difference over the course of the five-set marathon. The Broncos finished with 76 kills and a .285 hitting percentage, compared with 61 kills and a .204 hitting percentage for Winston-Salem State. FSU also held a 79-62 advantage in digs and recorded four service aces.
Hejl led a balanced Fayetteville State attack with 18 kills while hitting .467, adding four digs and a block. Powell finished right behind her with 17 kills on a .310 hitting percentage and contributed three total blocks. Harris also registered 17 kills while hitting .300, and Amori Johnson was exceptionally efficient with 11 kills and only one error on 17 attacks for a match-best .588 hitting percentage.
The Broncos also received production throughout their setting and defensive rotations. Melissa Gonzalez totaled a team-high 23 assists to go with nine digs and an ace, while Giovanna Teixeira recorded 21 assists and 11 digs. Jasmine Culp added 12 assists and led Fayetteville State with 18 digs, while Freeman contributed 10 digs.
The Broncos came out firing in the opening set. With the score tied at 12, Fayetteville State seized control behind a lengthy run that included kills from Kyla Powell and McKenna Miller along with an ace from Tione Freeman. The surge pushed FSU ahead 19-12, and the Broncos never allowed Winston-Salem State to recover, closing the set 25-16 while hitting .379.
Winston-Salem State responded in a dramatic second set. Fayetteville State erased a 17-12 deficit and eventually moved ahead 21-18. Neither team could create separation late, with the score moving through ties at 23, 24, 25 and 26. Winston-Salem State finally secured the final two points, getting a kill from Kamiyah Wilson before Holiday Ellis delivered the set-clinching kill for a 28-26 victory.
The Rams carried that momentum into another extended third set. Winston-Salem State built leads of 12-6 and 17-11, but Fayetteville State refused to go away. The Broncos battled back and pulled even at 24 on a Powell kill, then fought off another deficit to tie the set at 25. After the teams exchanged points again, Winston-Salem State finished the frame with a service ace from Zaria Keys and an Ellis kill to win 28-26 and take a 2-1 advantage in the match.
Facing the possibility of a four-set loss, Fayetteville State produced its most important comeback of the night in the fourth. Winston-Salem State raced ahead 15-6, but FSU steadily worked its way back into contention. The Broncos tied the score at 17 following consecutive kills from Kemyah Harris and went ahead 18-17 on another Harris kill. With the score tied at 21, Fayetteville State scored four of the final six points. Mya Hejl delivered kills for the Broncos' 23rd and 24th points before Powell put away the set-winning kill for the 25-23 decision, forcing a fifth set.
The deciding frame belonged to Fayetteville State.
The Broncos never trailed in the fifth and quickly established control. After Winston-Salem State pulled within 4-3, Fayetteville State went on a 4-0 run highlighted by two Harris kills and a block from Aolani Cannon. FSU later stretched the advantage to 13-5 as Hejl and Powell found the floor on consecutive attacks. After Winston-Salem State briefly stopped the run, Miller gave Fayetteville State match point before Powell finished the night with the final kill in the 15-6 victory. The Broncos hit a blistering.500 in the fifth set with 11 kills and just one attack error.
For Winston-Salem State, Ellis paced the Rams with 17 kills and 10 digs, while Angelica Turnage produced 13 kills on a .370 hitting percentage and five total blocks. Aria Caldwell added 10 kills. Zaria Keys handed out a team-high 20 assists, Celina Johnson finished with 18 assists, and Kalyn Cuthbertson anchored the Rams' defense with 18 digs.
Ultimately, Fayetteville State's ability to respond under pressure turned the match. After dropping consecutive 28-26 decisions and falling nine points behind in the fourth set, the Broncos found another gear. They closed the night by winning the final two sets and hitting .500 in the decisive fifth to secure their first CIAA victory of the season.
With the road victory secured, Fayetteville State will look to carry that momentum back to Capel Arena when the Broncos host Livingstone on Thursday, September 24, at 6 p.m. The conference matchup will also serve as Youth Night, with free admission for all fans.
