BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – The Bluefield State College Volleyball Team (12-14) picked up a 3-1 (25-21, 20-25, 25-19, 25-23) win over visiting Emory & Henry College (15-11) Tuesday evening at Ned E. Shott Gymnasium.

The two teams went back and forth in the first set to a 14-14 tie. The Lady Blues scored five points in a row to go up 19-14 and went on to lead 24-17. Emory & Henry closed the gap to 24-21, scoring two points in a row, including two kills by sophomore right side hitter Hannah Doss (Meadowview, Va.) but were unable to get any closer as BSC won the set 25-21.

The second set was close early on but the Lady Blues took a 16-11 lead midway through the set. Emory & Henry answered back to go up 20-17 thanks in part to a six-point serving run by sophomore defensive specialist Breanna Wallen (Rye Cove, Va.). Up 23-20, the Wasps sealed the win after two hitting errors by Bluefield State.

Emory & Henry went up 4-0 to start the third frame, but BSC responded to tie the contest at four points apiece. The set saw other ties at five, 10, 11 and 12 before the Lady Blues took control and went up 17-13. The Wasps closed the gap to 21-18, but would get no closer as Bluefield State went on to win, 25-19.

It appeared as if the fourth stanza could go to either team the entire way as there were 13 ties and nine lead changes. Bluefield State scored four points in a row to take a 16-14 lead and went on for a 18-15 advantage. The Wasps battled back to tie things a final time at 23 points apiece but two straight blocks by the Lady Blues solidified the victory.

Bluefield State hit .298 (51-15-121) for the match, led by Brittney Deveaux with 12 kills and Sashane Watson with 10 kills. Tyann Thomas recorded a double-double with 12 kills and 10 digs while Nikolina Nikolic added 39 assists. Jessie Rehwald notched a match-high 15 digs and added two service aces.

Emory & Henry was paced by sophomore outside hitter Tristen Pennington's (Kingsport, Tenn.) 14 kills and eight digs. Senior middle Anika Constantinescu (Surrey, British Columbia, CANADA), sophomore middle Kennady Thomason (Chattanooga, Tenn.) and Doss each had nine kills. Senior setter Maleah Neely (Hillsville, Va.) notched 37 assists, four kills and eight digs while sophomore libero had 13 digs.

The Wasps will be back in action on Thursday evening when they travel to take on the Quakers of Guilford College in Old Dominion Athletic Conference action at 7:00 p.m.

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-photo courtesy of Caleb Johnston, E&H '15