GLENVILLE, W.Va. – The West Virginia State University women's volleyball team earned a three-set Mountain East Conference sweep Friday night at Glenville State University. The victory marks WVSU's 26th consecutive win over the Pioneers, a streak dating back to Sept. 26, 2014. WVSU improves to 5-8 overall and 1-2 in MEC action, while Glenville State falls to 7-7 overall and 1-2 in conference play.
Maya Vilmar led the Yellow Jackets attack with 10 kills, while
Marcelina Pyka posted nine kills and five blocks.
Deniz Akgul anchored the net defense with eight blocks, and
Lilly Adkins collected 22 digs to go along with a pair of service aces.
WVSU took its first lead of the opening set at 4-3 following a 3-0 spurt, which eventually grew into a 6-1 run to build a 7-5 advantage. After the Pioneers leveled the score at 10-10, the Yellow Jackets reeled off three straight points, taking a 13-10 lead on a block by Pyka and Akgul. WVSU stretched its margin to 18-14 before Glenville State answered with four straight points to tie the set at 18-18. Following a trade of points, WVSU closed on a 6-1 run to secure a 25-20 set win.
Glenville State scored the first three points of the second set before the Yellow Jackets responded with six unanswered points to take a 6-3 lead. WVSU continued to build momentum, pushing the margin to 9-4 on a Pyka kill, a solo block from Akgul, and a
Milena Jansson kill. Out of a Pioneers timeout, WVSU scored six straight points—highlighted by an Adkins service ace and another Akgul-Pyka block—to extend the advantage. WVSU then mounted a 5-2 run to reach a 20-8 lead before closing out a dominant 25-11 set win on an Akgul solo block and kill to take a 2-0 match lead.
The Yellow Jackets held an early lead in the third set before the Pioneers tied the score at 5-5. WVSU answered with four straight points, using a
Daneya Morgan block and a
Kiela Sanger service ace to go ahead 9-5. The Yellow Jackets extended the margin to 13-6 with help from a
Rowe Tapley service ace before pushing the lead to 20-12. Glenville State mounted a late 11-3 surge to tie the score at 23-23.
Jansson delivered a kill to give WVSU match point at 24-23, but the Pioneers responded with a kill to extend the set to extra points tied at 24-24. Vilmar then closed out the match with back-to-back kills, securing a 26-24 set victory and the 3-0 match sweep.
WVSU returns home to the Walker Convocation Center on Wednesday, Sept. 30, to begin a five-match homestand against the conference's newest member, Shawnee State University. First serve is set for 7 p.m.
