ETTRICK, VA. – West Virginia State Volleyball went perfect on the weekend at the Virginia State Invitational, sweeping all four opponents for the champions title.
On Saturday, State took down Chowan by scores of 25-10, 25-16, 25-10 and then continued with Elizabeth City State by marks of 25-18, 25-16, 25-20.

"It was an outstanding weekend," head coach Kris Kern said. "We went 6-0 in sets with solid opponents. It will make our trip back shorter."

MATCH 1: WVSU 3, CHOWAN 0
Junior Alex Darby recorded a career milestone, achieving her first double-double with 11 digs and 11 kills, also a career-best. Classmate Diamond'Nique Young also tallied 11 kills, and fellow third-year Jacklyn Simms added eight slams. Darby also posted two service aces.

The duo of Darby and Young each turned in an above .650 hitting efficiency, and the squad hit at a stellar .449 as a team.

State broke out hot in the opening stanza, taking the first seven points in a sequence that featured both of Darby's aces. The squad continued to build cushion, going up by double-digits at 13-3 and maintaining that point advantage at 17-7.

The Yellow Jackets continued to control, with Darby tallying kills for both the set point and the final, putting State with a 1-0 match lead at 25-10.

Chowan opened the second set seeking revenge, going up 4-1 early. A kill from Simms quickly tied the frame 4-4, and the two teams began a back-and-forth affair until a 5-1 rally in favor of WVSU pushed State ahead 15-11. The Hawks threatened, chipping away the deficit to two points at 17-15, until the Yellow Jackets secured eight of the next nine points to take the set 25-16 and a 2-0 match lead.

State cruised in what was ultimately the finale, picking up the first six points to open the frame and then picked up another five consecutive points later to increase their advantage to 17-5. Chowan attempted to chip away, narrowing the gap to 10 points at 19-9, but WVSU cruised with six of the final seven points to take the set 25-10 and the match 3-0.

MATCH 2: WVSU 3, ELIZABETH CITY 0
Young recorded 13 kills and added three rejections. Darby again exhibited hot swinging, tallying eight kills to accompany 12 digs. Junior Kiersten Eggleton guided the offense with 19 assists. Sophomore Natalie Beer topped the squad at the net game with four blocks.

State pulled ahead early in the opening frame after a 5-1 run that featured kills by Darby and Beer, putting the squad up 10-4. The Vikings trimmed the deficit, coming within two at 16-14 before State used a series of back-to-back points, including the final kill of the set from Darby, to take the match lead at 25-18.

Five consecutive points, including three aces from freshman Bethany Ledford, guided State in Set 2, putting them up 11-6. Another four points put the Yellow Jackets in control at 15-7, and after a kill from Young and block by she and Eggleton, State took a double-digit lead at 20-10.

Elizabeth City registered three straight points, looking to cut the deficit, but State replied with three in a row to take the 2-0 match lead at 25-16, again the final kill coming from Darby.

The third set was tied as late as 13-13, and then the Vikings threatened within one at 18-17 before four straight points for the  Yellow Jackets added some reassurance at 22-17, and the final point, and set and subsequently the match, was sealed on a slam from Simms at 25-20.

UP NEXT
State returns home, welcoming Central State Tuesday for a 7 p.m. first serve.