SALISBURY, NC — The Lady Blue Bears made history Monday evening, defeating Fayetteville State University in straight sets (25-20, 25-18, 25-22) during their Dig Pink match at New Trent Gymnasium. The victory marked a historic milestone for the Livingstone volleyball program as the Blue Bears improved to 16-4 overall and 9-2 in Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) play.
Livingstone established control early in the opening set, recording 16 kills and hitting .263 to take the first set, 25-20. The Blue Bears continued their strong play in the second set, using balanced offensive production and defensive pressure to secure a 25-18 victory and take a commanding two-set lead.
In the third set, Livingstone delivered its most efficient offensive performance of the match, recording 17 kills with just two errors on 37 attempts for an impressive .405 hitting percentage. The Blue Bears held off a late challenge from the Broncos to close out the set, 25-22, completing the sweep and sending the home crowd into celebration.
Oliwia Jaroszewicz led the Livingstone attack with 13 kills, while
Hailey Henriquez added 10 kills and
Da'Maia Bryant contributed seven. At the net, Bryant recorded a team-high seven blocks, with Henriquez adding four and
Mya Dalpiaz contributing three.
Masa Simovic paced the offense with 20 assists and served three aces, while
Justyce McKennie added 14 assists. Defensively,
Tialofa Alofipo led the Blue Bears with 13 digs, followed by Jaroszewicz with 11 and Dalpiaz with seven.
As a team, Livingstone finished with 46 kills, seven service aces, 12 blocks, 41 assists, and 52 digs. The Blue Bears hit .268 for the match, compared with Fayetteville State's .135, demonstrating their efficiency on both sides of the net.
The Lady Blue Bears will now turn their attention to CIAA Round-Up II, scheduled for this weekend, October 16–18. Livingstone will open tournament play on Friday, October 16, against Virginia State University, with first serve set for 1 p.m
