INSTITUTE, W.Va. – West Virginia State volleyball opened its Friday doubleheader at the Walker Convocation Center with a 3–0 sweep of Roberts Wesleyan before dropping a hard-fought five-set battle to PSAC member Shepherd later in the evening. The results left the Yellow Jackets at 2–3 on the season, while Roberts Wesleyan fell to 0–5 and Shepherd improved to 4–1.

Match 1: WVSU 3, Roberts Wesleyan 0

The opening set featured several momentum swings, with State pulling away thanks to key runs at the net. After an even start at 7–7, the Jackets strung together a 5–0 burst behind two kills from Hill and even a rare libero kill for Adkins on a misplayed ball. Later, a 4–0 push stretched the lead to 20–14 with kills by Hill and Perez, but Roberts Wesleyan answered with a 4–0 run of its own to knot things at 23. State regrouped in the critical moments, closing the set 27–25 with back-to-back kills from Custodio and Hill.

The second set again turned on a pair of decisive runs. Trailing 6–2 early, the Jackets erupted for six straight points to seize an 8–6 edge, fueled by kills from Custodio, Perez, and Morgan. Roberts Wesleyan hung close into the late teens, but another 6–0 surge gave State separation at 23–17 as Iquinto and Custodio combined for four kills in the stretch. That cushion carried WVSU to a 25–20 win and a 2–0 match lead.

State's offense overpowered the Redhawks in the third. The Jackets erased an early deficit with a 5–0 run highlighted by two Hill kills and an ace from Iquinto. After briefly falling behind again, State mounted a dominant 9–1 run from 6–7 to 15–8, keyed by three straight aces from Perez, three kills from Iquinto, and additional points from Perez, Morgan, and Custodio. With momentum firmly in hand, the Jackets cruised to a 25–16 finish to complete the sweep.

West Virginia State swept the opener with 44 kills at a .219 hitting percentage, aided by 43 assists, 57 digs, and nine team blocks. Freshman Iquinto recorded her first collegiate kills, service ace, and block to mark an impressive debut. Custodio provided a lift with a season-high .438 hitting percentage. Hill chipped in eight kills to balance the attack. Setter Pomaret directed play with 22 assists and added six digs, while libero Adkins steadied the back row with 11 digs.

Match 2: WVSU 2, Shepherd 3

Shepherd took control early in the opening set and never looked back. The Rams used a pair of 4–0 runs to establish separation, while State struggled to generate sustained offense. With no blocks recorded in the frame, the Jackets couldn't slow Shepherd's attack and fell behind quickly, dropping the opener 25–18.

The second set flipped the momentum as State came alive at the net and ignited the home crowd. After falling behind 4–2, the Jackets surged ahead on a 3–0 burst highlighted by consecutive blocks from Custodio and Pomaret. Moments later, a decisive 5–0 run stretched the lead to 13–7, fueled by two Iquinto kills, a Hill finish, and a pair of big blocks — one from Iquinto and Smith and another from Hill and Smith. Shepherd burned both of its timeouts during the stretch, first after the Smith–Hill rejection and again after Iquinto's second kill, but neither slowed State's surge. The Jackets piled on with a 5–2 run to push the advantage to 18–10, as Hill struck for three more kills and Oksanen teamed with Custodio for another block. Behind a dominant .448 hitting percentage in the frame — 16 kills on 29 attempts with just three errors — WVSU stormed to a 25–19 victory that evened the match. By contrast, Shepherd managed only a .100 mark with 11 kills, eight errors, and 30 attempts.

The third set saw the Yellow Jackets carry their offensive rhythm forward. State opened with a 4–0 run powered by three Hill kills and a Shepherd attack error, forcing the Rams immediately onto the defensive. From there, the sides traded three-point bursts before settling into a near point-for-point exchange that kept the set tight into the late teens. Shepherd briefly seized momentum with a four-point run that included two kills, a service ace, and a State miscue by Custodio to edge ahead. But the Jackets had the final answer, closing on a commanding 6–0 run to take the set 25–20. The surge began with a Shepherd attack error, followed by a Hill kill. Pomaret then delivered back-to-back aces to electrify the Walker Center, and Smith and Iquinto paired for a block at the net. Hill finished the rally with another kill to seal the frame. State hit an efficient .351 in the set with 18 kills on 37 swings against just five errors, while holding Shepherd to .182 (10–4–33).

Shepherd regrouped in the fourth set and wrestled back momentum with three separate 5–0 runs that proved too much for the Jackets to overcome. Each surge widened the Rams' cushion and kept State from building any sustained offense. WVSU still made its presence felt at the net with four rejections in the frame, but the errors mounted and Shepherd capitalized on nearly every opportunity to pull away. The Rams controlled the action from start to finish, taking the set 25–14 and forcing a decisive fifth.

The deciding set initially leaned heavily toward Shepherd as the Rams appeared to cruise with three separate six-point leads. Yet the Yellow Jackets refused to fold, piecing together a spirited 5–0 run late to narrow the margin to 13–12. The rally featured a Shepherd service error, a Hill kill, a Shepherd attack miscue, an Iquinto ace, and another finish from Hill that brought the crowd to its feet. Shepherd answered with a kill to earn two match points, but Hill struck again to extend play and keep State alive. Ultimately, a WVSU attack error ended the comeback bid, sealing the 15–13 set and 3–2 match in favor of the Rams despite several tense, extended rallies down the stretch.

West Virginia State closed the five-setter with 64 kills on a .263 hitting percentage, backed by 61 assists, 68 digs, and 12 team blocks. Hill powered the attack with a career-best 25 kills on a .468 clip while adding four block assists. Freshman Iquinto turned in a breakout effort with 18 kills, 20 digs, and a pair of blocks. Pomaret steered the offense with 44 assists and chipped in seven digs and three aces. Adkins anchored the back row with 11 digs and steady serve-receive work.

West Virginia State continues play at the Walker Convocation Center on Saturday with matches against East Stroudsburg at 1 p.m. and Kentucky Wesleyan at 7 p.m.