BOWIE, MD – The Bowie State women's volleyball team (11-15, 7-5 CIAA, 3-3 North) will host Virginia Union (12-11, 6-6 CIAA, 4-2 North) in an important divisional matchup on Thursday, Oct. 30, for Halloween Night. First serve is scheduled for 6 p.m. inside Theodore McKeldin Gymnasium.

Match Details
When: Thursday, Oct. 30 at 6 p.m.
Where: Theodore McKeldin Gymnasium (Bowie, Md.)
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Follow: @BSU_Sports_Info | @bowiestatebulldogs

Key Match Notes
BSU enters the match ranked fourth in the Northern Division, while VUU sits in third. Thursday's matchup carries major implications, as a win would give the Bulldogs a chance to leapfrog the Lady Panthers in the divisional standings.

CIAA Stat Leaders

• Team: No. 3 in the CIAA in total blocks
• Nina Edwards: 2nd in blocks (74), 3rd in hitting percentage (.372)
• Lyric Snowden: 9th in kills (179), points per set (3.21), and service aces (29)
• Taylor Johnson: 7th in digs per set (3.46)

Last Time Out
Bowie State battled Millersville University in a five-set thriller on Tuesday night inside A.C. Jordan Arena, falling just short in a 3-2 decision (25-22, 19-25, 25-12, 16-25, 13-15). The Bulldogs came out strong, taking the opening set 25-22 behind timely kills from Melisa Anacius and a pair of service aces from Iman Wright.

BSU responded with a dominant third set, cruising to a 25-12 win thanks to a balanced attack led by Nicole Taylor, Nadira Avery, and Snowden. Setter Mekenna Scott directed the offense with precision, while Abena Asomani-Martin added key serves to extend the lead.

Despite a late fifth-set rally that tied the score at 11-11, Bowie State narrowly fell in the closing points. The Bulldogs finished with 52 total kills,

Scouting Bowie State

• Snowden leads the attack with 2.58 kills per set and a team-high 29 service aces.
• Edwards follows closely with 2.32 kills per set while ranking among the CIAA's top hitters with a .372 attack percentage and 74 total blocks.
• Taylor provides balance in the middle, averaging 2.01 kills per set and contributing 50 total blocks.
• Setters Scott (4.39 assists/set) and Trinity Loundmon (3.61) direct the Bulldogs' 6–2 offensive system.
• Defensively, Johnson anchors the back row with 300 digs (3.45/set), while Bowie State ranks third in the CIAA with 1.9 blocks per set.

Scouting Virginia Union

Offense: The Lady Panthers average 10.6 kills per set while hitting .142 as a team. Madison Hill leads the offense with 2.73 kills per set and a .320 hitting percentage, followed by Aireanna Johnson (2.29) and Alana Simmons (2.27). Setter Ashlee Franklin directs the attack with 6.63 assists per set, while also contributing 26 service aces.

Defense: VUU averages 1.3 blocks per set, led by Hill (0.67 blk/set) and Alexandra Perot (0.47 blk/set). Leilah Beasley anchors the back row with 3.08 digs per set, supported by Johnson (2.48) and Franklin (2.29).

Serving/Passing: The Lady Panthers are one of the CIAA's top serving teams, averaging 2.0 aces per set (151 total). Simmons leads the way with 26 aces, followed by Franklin (26) and Maria Pena (18).

Up Next
The Bulldogs will hit the road to battle the Big Blue of Bluefield State in a conference matchup on Monday, Nov. 3, in Bluefield, WV. First serve is scheduled for 6 p.m. inside Ned Shott Gymnasium.

For the latest on Bowie State Athletics and its 14 varsity sports, visit BSUBulldogs.com.