Bowie State University women’s volleyball split two matches at the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association roundup on Oct. 18, defeating Claflin 3-1 before losing to Livingstone 3-0 at the VSU Multipurpose Center in Petersburg, Va. Bowie State finished the day 11-12 overall and 8-9 in CIAA play.
Bowie State Overcomes Claflin in Four Sets
Bowie State dropped the opening set against Claflin 22-25 before winning the next three sets 25-13, 25-21 and 25-15, hitting .258 compared to Claflin’s .121. The Bulldogs erased an 11-14 deficit to take a 16-15 lead. Taylor Johnson led Bowie State with 16 kills, three service aces and 19.5 points while hitting .351. Melisa Anacius added 10 kills on a .350 hitting percentage and recorded four total blocks. Gabrielle Hale finished with 29 assists, six digs and one service ace, while Payton Swinton contributed 14 digs, five kills and one service ace.
Bowie State used a 6-0 run in the second set to take control after trailing 3-2. They closed the third set with five consecutive points and turned a 9-7 deficit into a 13-9 lead with a six-point stretch in the fourth set.
Livingstone Sweeps Bowie State
Livingstone swept Bowie State 25-20, 26-24 and 25-20. The Blue Bears entered the match at 22-4 overall and 15-2 in CIAA play, while Bowie State entered at 11-11 overall and 8-8 in conference play.
Swinton led the Bulldogs with nine kills, 12 digs, five total blocks and one service ace. Amara Pope posted nine total blocks, including four solo blocks, and added three kills. Hale contributed 21 assists, 10 digs and two service aces, and Anacius added four kills and five total blocks.
Hailey Henriquez led Livingstone with 13 kills while hitting .333 and added an ace. Tialofa Alofipo recorded 33 digs and three assists, Da’Maia Bryant finished with seven kills and six total blocks, and Justyce McKennie posted 19 assists, three digs and two block assists.
Next Match for Bowie State University Women’s Volleyball
Bowie State will visit Millersville University on Tuesday, Oct. 20, at 6 p.m. to conclude its 2026 nonconference action.
Read the official Bowie State University Athletics recap for the complete match details.
Maryland Sports Blog Take
Bowie State University women’s volleyball responded to an opening-set loss against Claflin by winning three consecutive sets. Johnson led the four-set victory with 16 kills, while Pope, Swinton and Hale produced notable numbers against Livingstone. Bowie State now turns to Millersville University for its final 2026 nonconference match.
Source: Original report
