ROCKY MOUNT, NC— Bowie State (14-15) defeated Virginia State (20-11) 3-1 on Monday at Rocky Mount Event Center during the quarterfinals of the 2026 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Women's Volleyball Tournament. After dropping the opening set 25-18, the Bulldogs won the next three 25-19, 25-16 and 25-22 while finishing with 45 kills and nine total blocks.
To open the first set of post season, play, Melisa Anacius opened with a kill from Gabrielle Hale, and BSU later moved in front 4-3 on Mil'lanni Marte's ace before Virginia State answered with kills from Wynter Hill and Gracie Darville to go ahead 6-4. Abena Asomani-Martin and a Jy'Asha Cousins block helped the Bulldogs stay within 9-7, and BSU moved back within 10-9 after a Virginia State service error and Hill attack error. VSU created separation from there, scoring five straight points for a 15-9 lead behind a kill by Anya McKinley, two Hill kills, a block by Darville and McKinley, and another Hill kill. The Bulldogs got kills from Payton Swinton and Cousins while cutting the margin to 17-13, but the Trojans pushed the lead to 24-15 before BSU scored three late points and McKinley's kill ended the set at 25-18.
The Bulldogs built early cushions in the second set, including a 5-3 lead on Spring Terry's service ace and an 8-5 edge after a Swinton kill and ace, before the Trojans scored the next three points to tie it at 8-8. Hale put BSU back in front with a kill, and the Bulldogs scored four straight points to move ahead 12-8, with blocks involving Hale and Cousins helping the stretch. VSU cut the margin to 14-13 behind two Darville kills, but BSU answered with three straight points, stayed in front behind late kills from Swinton and Anacius, and closed the set on Swinton's kill for a 25-19 win.
The Trojans moved in front 6-3 in the third set, but the Bulldogs answered with four straight points on an Asomani-Martin kill, a Swinton kill, a Marte ace and a Virginia State attack error to go ahead 7-6. After the Trojans pulled even at 14-14, BSU regained separation with Swinton kills around VSU errors and a Hale kill, pushing the score to 19-15 before Virginia State got one point back. Cousins started the final run with a kill for 20-16, and Asomani-Martin served the set out as the Bulldogs took the last six points, including an ace by Asomani-Martin and two Terry kills, to win 25-16.
After the Trojans moved in front 4-3 on a Hill kill, BSU ran off six straight points to take a 9-4 lead, tying it on a Swinton and Cousins block before Swinton served through a stretch that included her kill and an Asomani-Martin finish. The Bulldogs kept the margin at 13-7 on Marte's ace, then pushed ahead 17-7 with an Anacius kill, a Hale ace, a Swinton kill and a Virginia State setting error. VSU later closed from 22-13 to 22-16, but BSU reached set point at 24-17 on Taylor Johnson's kill from Marte. Virginia State scored the next five points, including two Darville kills, before Anacius finished the set with a kill from Hale for a 25-22 Bulldogs win.
Swinton led the Bulldogs with 14 kills and 15.5 points while adding 16 digs. Marte recorded a team-high 20 digs and added three service aces. Hale finished with 29 assists, 14 digs, four kills and four blocks. Cousins posted seven total blocks, including two solo blocks, and added five kills.
The Bulldogs will take on No. 3 seed Livingstone College on Tuesday, November 10, at 2 p.m. in the CIAA Tournament semifinals, with a berth in the conference championship on the line. The Lady Blue Bears advanced to the semifinals after defeating No. 6 seed Shaw, 3-1, earlier in the day.
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