Indiana, Pa. — West Virginia State University (3-5) continued its resurgence with a gritty 3-1 win over Adelphi (4-6) at the IUP Invitational. The Yellow Jackets battled to victory with set scores of 24-26, 25-19, 27-25, and 25-20, securing their third straight win of the season.

Hannah Steele led the offensive charge for the Yellow Jackets with 18 kills, hitting at a .289 clip, while also adding 13 digs and two blocks, her first double-double in a Yellow Jacket uniform. Setter Kiersten Eggleton had a stellar all-around performance, distributing 46 assists while contributing 10 digs and four blocks, securing her second double-double in as many matches. Maureen Mathews and Nicole Gartner Custodio were a force at the net, recording 17 kills on a .333 hitting percentage, along with two blocks for Matthews and eight total blocks for Custodio. Baby Moleni also had a standout game, registering 10 kills at key points late in sets three and four while hitting at an unconscious .529 percentage. Morgan Caba led the defense in the libero jersey with 20 digs and five assists in the match. Lauren Johnson added three aces and 11 digs, helping the Yellow Jackets control the service game and defense.

WVSU came out strong in the first set, trading points early with Adelphi in a tightly contested opening frame. Both teams exchanged leads multiple times, with neither side able to pull away by more than three points.  Steele and Mathews kept the Yellow Jackets competitive with a series of well-placed kills, while  Eggleton orchestrated the offense with precision. Adelphi surged late in the set, tying the game at 24-24 before closing it out with a kill by Macarty McQueen and a service ace. WVSU struggled with a few key errors at the end, dropping the set 26-24 despite a solid all-around performance.

WVSU bounced back in the second set, tightening up their defense and capitalizing on Adelphi's mistakes. The Yellow Jackets went on an early 6-2 run, powered by kills from Mathews and Moleni, as they built a lead they wouldn't relinquish. Adelphi faltered with a negative hitting percentage (-0.089) in this set, while WVSU blocked well at the net, highlighted by efforts from Custodio and Wilder. With strong serving from Lauren Johnson, WVSU maintained control throughout, finishing the set 25-19. The defensive play of libero Morgan Caba also stood out, as she helped anchor WVSU's back row.

The third set was a back-and-forth battle, featuring 19 ties and 11 lead changes as both teams fought for momentum. Adelphi's offense was led by Emilia Cascapera, while WVSU relied on its balanced attack with contributions from Steele, Mathews, and Moleni. WVSU faced a late 23-22 deficit but fought back with clutch kills from Steele and Mathews. A service ace by Eggleton brought WVSU within set point, but Adelphi fought off the first attempt. The Yellow Jackets showed resilience, ultimately winning 27-25 after a key block by Custodio and Wilder sealed the set.

In the fourth and final set, WVSU started strong with an 8-3 lead, fueled by early kills from Steele and Mathews. The Yellow Jackets controlled the tempo, with Eggleton spreading the ball effectively to her hitters, while Adelphi struggled to find their rhythm. Adelphi cut the lead to 16-14, but a timely 4-0 run by WVSU, capped by a service ace from Johnson, gave the Yellow Jackets the cushion they needed. Solid blocking and defense down the stretch stymied Adelphi's attempts to rally, and a final kill by Mathews closed out the set 25-20, giving WVSU the 3-1 victory.

WVSU will play their first home match in the Walker Convocation Center this season when they face Bluefield State on Sept. 18 at 6 p.m.