Volleyball caps off HBCUAC Crossover with victory over Stillman College

TALLADEGA, Ala. - After suffering three-set losses against Oakwood University (25-12, 25-23, 25-19) on Friday and Talladega College on Saturday (25-13, 25-14, 25-17), the Wiley University volleyball team ended its second Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) Crossover with a four-set victory over Stillman College (25-22, 25-22, 22-25, 25-19) Saturday at the Billy C. Hawkins Student Activity Center.

The victory snapped a five-match losing streak. The Lady Wildcats improved to 3-1 in neutral matches and 1-1 in four-set matches. Even with the win, Wiley was eliminated from postseason contention. The losses combined with Southern University at New Orleans' wins over Wilberforce University and Rust College made it impossible to finish in the top eight.

During Saturday's win, Rachelle Santos led the team with 12 kills, marking her second double-digit kill match. She also contributed two service aces and five block assists. Shyla Starks followed with 10 kills, notching her sixth match with double-digit kills. Maria Luiza Chaves recorded a career-high 32 assists, adding four digs, two service aces and a kill. T'aja Hardy led the team with 13 digs, her fourth match with double-digit digs. Maria Guinyard followed with 11 digs.

The Lady Wildcats (3-14, 3-10 HBCUAC) trailed 20-17 in the first set. Santos recorded a kill and teamed up with Starks for a block and five attack errors by Stillman put Wiley in front 23-20. Kills by Starks and Santos clinched the set.

The pair guided the Lady Wildcats to a five-point lead in the second set. They led by as many as 10. Stillman closed the margin to two by taking advantage of six errors by Wiley and putting down seven kills. Santos ' two kills put the Lady Wildcats up two.

Wiley was unable to close out Stillman in the third set. Cortez and Hardy put the Lady Wildcats ahead 22-20. Five errors allowed Stillman to extend the match.

In the fourth set, Santos and Starks recorded kills and Chaves put down two aces to give the Lady Wildcats a 14-5 lead. Two kills by Starks and Santos clinched the match.

In Friday's match against Oakwood, Wiley was outhit .212 to (-).010 and outscored 35-18 in kills. Madisyn Moore led the team with six kills. Lynnetra Taylor recorded eight assists, and Chaves followed with six as they split setting duties. Erin Ferguson recorded three service aces. Cortez tallied 13 digs followed by Guinyard's 10.

In the match against Talladega, the Lady Wildcats were outscored 38-19 in kills and outhit .448 to .098. Starks led the team with seven kills, followed by Cortez, who finished with six and led the team with three service aces. Chaves tallied 16 assists and shared the team lead in digs with Cortez at four.

The Lady Wildcats will close out HBCUAC play on October 26 at Philander Smith University. The Lady Panthers clinched a spot in the 2024 HBCUAC Volleyball Championship with a victory over Stillman College.

For more coverage on the Lady Wildcats visit Women's Volleyball Home - Wiley University (wileyathletics.com)

About Wiley University Athletics
Wiley University sponsors 12 varsity sports, women's volleyball, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's indoor track and field, men's and women's outdoor track and field and baseball. It competes in the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) and the Continental Athletic Conference for men's and women's soccer.

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