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West Virginia State University Athletics

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VB22 Darby
Photo: Todd Griffith
2
Charleston (WV) UCM 17-3,4-1 MEC
3
Winner West Virginia St. WVSt 18-1,5-0 MEC
Charleston (WV) UCM
17-3,4-1 MEC
2
Final
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West Virginia St. WVSt
18-1,5-0 MEC
Winner
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 5 F
Charleston (WV) UCM 16 23 25 27 12 (2)
West Virginia St. WVSt 25 25 23 25 15 (3)

Game Recap: Women's Volleyball | | James Garcia, Sports Information Director

West Virginia State goes atop the South Division with five-set win over UC

INSTITUTE, W.Va. – The West Virginia State University volleyball team (18-1, 5-0 MEC) defeated rivals Charleston (17-3, 4-1 MEC) in a five-set thriller at the Walker Convocation Center on Tuesday night. The Yellow Jackets picked up the first two sets (25-16, 25-23) before dropping the second two (25-23, 27-25) and then winning the decisive fifth set, 15-12.

WVSU extended their win streak to 16 matches with the win and now lay claim to a 10-match win streak against UC. State also secured its place atop the Mountain East Conference South Division with the victory since both teams went into the match undefeated in league play.

Junior Alex Darby posted a career-high and team-high 18 kills in the contest while scooping up 28 digs. Fellow junior Jacklyn Simms also set a new career-high for herself with 16 kills. Meanwhile, classmate Diamond'Nique Young accounted for 16.5 points with 11 kills, seven block assists, and two solo blocks.

The only somewhat lopsided set in the game was the first one. West Virginia State was clinging to an 11-10 lead before scoring eight unanswered points to pull away from Charleston.The Golden Eagles made six attack errors during the stretch to help WVSU to a 19-10 advantage. The Yellow Jackets then helped themselves with four-straight kills to bring set one to an end, 25-16.

State looked comfortable once again in the second set after gaining an early five-point lead, 12-7. UC then gradually chipped away at that early lead until the set reached a tie at 22-all. Darby's kill was followed by an attack error from Charleston to move the scoreline to 24-22 in favor of WVSU. The Golden Eagles grabbed the next point with a kill before Kiersten Eggleton's kill claimed the setpoint, 25-23.

In the third set, Charleston went up 21-17 towards the end and looked in prime position to run away with it. The Yellow Jackets must have had another sweep on their minds, however, as they claimed the next five points with three kills and two UC attack errors to go up by one, 22-21. The chance for a sweep ended there, unfortunately, as the Golden Eagles earned four of the last five points to claim set three, 25-23.

The fourth set was close from start to finish. At no point in the set did either side look sure to win it. State was ahead, 22-21, before three WVSU attack errors put Charleston in the driver's seat, 24-22. Then an attack error by UC followed by a Simms kill tied it at 24-apiece. The Yellow Jackets and Golden Eagles traded the next two points before Charleston picked up the last two, 27-25, to force a fifth and final set.

West Virginia State rushed out to an 8-4 lead in the fifth set after back-to-back kills by Simms. From that point forward, the Yellow Jackets stayed in front by at least two points until a service error by Charleston handed the set, 15-12, and match to WVSU.

Each team tallied 216 total attacks and recorded over 100 digs in a five-set match that was filled with long rallies. State's 75 kills and .213 hitting percentage ultimately prevailed over Charleston's 61 kills and .162 attack percentage.

The Yellow Jackets head to Alderson Broaddus next on Thursday, Oct. 6th for their first cross-divisional match of the season. The game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. start.
 
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