WEST CHESTER, Pa. – The West Virginia State volleyball team opened the 2026 season Friday afternoon with a four-set victory over Thomas Jefferson University in the opening match of the West Chester Crossover. WVSU took the first set 25-23, dropped the second 25-19, won the third 25-12, and sealed the victory with a 25-23 win in the fourth set.
Gabrielle Elliott led WVSU with 17 kills and 14 digs.
Maya Vilmar and
Carmen Pérez added 11 kills each, with Pérez recording a team-high 22 digs and seven service aces. Vilmar also finished with four block assists.
The Yellow Jackets fell behind early in the opening set as the Rams took five of the first six points. WVSU rallied to tie the set at 9 before a Pérez kill gave the Yellow Jackets their first lead at 10-9.
Jefferson kept the set close, forcing a WVSU timeout while leading 22-21. Coming out of the break, WVSU pulled ahead 24-23 to prompt a Jefferson timeout. Vilmar and
Marcelina Pyka then combined for a block to secure the 25-23 set win.
WVSU opened the second set with four straight points, including two kills from Elliott and an ace by Pérez. Jefferson answered to take an 11-10 lead and eventually extended its margin to 17-13. The Yellow Jackets scored three straight to pull within 17-16, but the Rams held on to win the set 25-19.
The Yellow Jackets dominated the third set, opening with seven consecutive points to force an early Jefferson timeout. The Rams pulled within 11-9 before WVSU took control, closing the set on a 9-0 run. Pérez recorded four aces and the set-ending kill during the run to put WVSU ahead 2-1.
The fourth set remained tight throughout, with Jefferson's largest lead coming at 11-6. WVSU responded by scoring six of the next seven points to tie the set at 12. Trailing late, WVSU took a 22-21 lead and scored the final three points, capped by consecutive kills from Pérez, to close out the match.
WVSU concludes its opening weekend Saturday, facing host West Chester at 1 p.m. before taking on Millersville at 3 p.m.
