BOWIE, MD – The Bowie State University women's volleyball team (8-13, 5-4 CIAA) opened the CIAA Round-Up in dominant fashion, sweeping Claflin University (2-16, 2-7 CIAA) in straight sets Saturday afternoon inside A.C. Jordan Arena. The Bulldogs set the tone early in their home event, winning by scores of 25-17, 25-18, and 26-24, while posting an impressive team hitting percentage of .252 compared to the Lady Panthers' .121.
Bowie State came out firing in the opening set, jumping out to a quick 6-0 lead behind sharp serves from Mekenna Scott, who recorded a service ace and forced multiple Claflin attack errors. Nina Edwards and Nicole Taylor added key kills to extend the lead to 10-2. The Bulldogs' defense stood tall, limiting CU's momentum and maintaining control en route to a 25-17 first-set victory, sealed by Abena Asomani-Martin's set-clinching kill.
In the second set, the Bulldogs once again found early rhythm with Edwards leading the attack and Scott orchestrating the offense with precision. Lyric Snowden delivered timely service aces to help BSU pull ahead. The Lady Panthers managed to even the score at 10-10, but Iman Wright and Nadira Avery responded with crucial blocks to shift momentum back in Bowie State's favor. The Bulldogs capitalized on Claflin's errors and maintained steady pressure to take the set 25-18.
The third set showcased Bowie State's resilience. After falling behind 13-7, the Bulldogs rallied behind Wright and Asomani-Martin, using a string of kills and a service ace to close the gap. Down the stretch, BSU tied the score at 24-24 thanks to clutch plays from Asomani-Martin and a key attack error from CU. The Bulldogs completed the comeback with back-to-back points from Asomani-Martin, sealing the 26-24 win and the straight-sets sweep.
Bowie State Top Performers
Nina Edwards – 13 kills on 16 attempts (.625), 13.0 points
Iman Wright – 10 kills, 10.0 points
Taylor Johnson – 18 digs
Mekenna Scott – 27 assists, 2 service aces
Nadira Avery – 4 total blocks (2 solo, 2 assists), 4.0 points
Up next
The Bulldogs will return to action Sunday morning, facing Winston-Salem State at 9 a.m. before closing out CIAA Round-Up play against Johnson C. Smith at 3 p.m. inside A.C. Jordan Arena.
For the most up-to-date information on Bowie State Athletics and its 14 varsity sport teams, visit BSUBulldogs.com.
