Central State Tops LeMoyne-Owen in Four Sets, 3-1.

In a spirited matchup between two SIAC teams, Central State University (12-19, 9-9 SIAC) defeated LeMoyne-Owen College (2-23, 0-18 SIAC) in four sets (25-17, 25-16, 28-30, 25-21) at the Bruce Hall/Johnson Gymnasium in Memphis, Tennessee, on Saturday afternoon. The Marauders powered through the first three sets, despite a strong push from the Lady Magicians in the third set, to earn the 3-1 victory in their regular season finale.

Central State came out of the gates strong, taking the first two sets with relative ease. The Marauders' offense, led by sophomore outside hitter DesiRaye Blakely, was firing on all cylinders in the opening two sets. Blakely finished the match with a team-high 14 kills, while Si'Ayera Boone added 12 kills of her own. The Marauders hit .118 in the first set and .258 in the second, with strong contributions from setter Nevaeh Brownlee, who racked up 23 assists in the win.

LeMoyne-Owen, which entered the match with a challenging 0-18 conference record, struggled in the early stages of the match. The Lady Magicians were plagued by errors and inconsistent passing, which allowed Central State to take control of both the first and second sets. Despite seven kills from M'Jai Watkins and six from Sy'Raia Sandifer in the first two sets, LeMoyne-Owen was unable to generate enough consistent offense to threaten the Marauders' lead.

However, the Lady Magicians showed their resilience in the third set. After losing the first two sets, LeMoyne-Owen found their rhythm and pushed the third set to extra points. Watkins, Stepter, and Sandifer were pivotal in this push, combining for 14 kills in the third frame alone. Despite Central State holding a lead for much of the set, LeMoyne-Owen's late run forced the Marauders into errors, and the Lady Magicians won the set 30-28 to extend the match.

"LeMoyne-Owen showed a lot of fight in that third set," said Central State head coach. "We let up a little bit, and they took advantage. It's always good to see how your team responds to adversity, and we bounced back in the fourth."

In the fourth set, Central State refocused and returned to their dominant form. After a back-and-forth opening, the Marauders used a strong serving run from Brooke Morris and key blocks from Jasmin Churchill (6 total blocks) and Blakely to close out the match. Morris contributed 5 aces in the match, including several in the final set that kept LeMoyne-Owen out of system.

Boone was also instrumental in the win, adding 12 kills and playing excellent defense at the net. The Marauders' blocking presence, led by Churchill and Blakely, helped stifle LeMoyne-Owen's attempts at a late comeback. With a final 25-21 victory in the fourth set, Central State sealed the 3-1 win.

"We knew we needed to finish strong, and we did," said Blakely, reflecting on the team's resilience after the third-set setback. "Our defense really stepped up in the fourth set, and we were able to close things out."

Central State dominated in most statistical categories, including kills (49-29), blocks (9-5), and digs (65-51). Amasjah Gillings led the team with 22 digs, with Alyvia Eide contributing 11 digs. Morris also added 20 assists to go along with her 5 aces, showing her versatility as a setter and server.

LeMoyne-Owen's standout performer was libero Honesty Campbell, who recorded an impressive 30 digs to help keep her team in the match. In addition to Watkins' 8 kills, Sandifer added 6 kills and 4 aces, but it was not enough to overcome Central State's overall firepower and depth.

With the victory, Central State finishes the regular season with a .500 record in conference play (9-9 SIAC) and will look ahead to postseason play. The Marauders will be hoping to carry the momentum from this win into the SIAC Tournament, where they will need to remain focused and disciplined to make a deep run.

"We've got a lot of work to do, but this win gives us confidence heading into the tournament," said Brownlee, who finished with 23 assists. "We've got a strong group, and we're ready to make some noise in the postseason."

As for LeMoyne-Owen, despite the tough season, the Lady Magicians showed grit in the third set and will be looking to build for the future.

**Final Score:**
- **Central State (OH) 3**, **LeMoyne-Owen 1**  
- **Set Scores**: 25-17, 25-16, 28-30, 25-21

**Key Stats:**
- **Central State**: DesiRaye Blakely – 14 kills, 5 blocks, 6 digs  
- **LeMoyne-Owen**: Honesty Campbell – 30 digs, 1 assist  
- **Kills**: Central State – 49, LeMoyne-Owen – 29  
- **Aces**: Central State – 15, LeMoyne-Owen – 8  
- **Blocks**: Central State – 9, LeMoyne-Owen – 5  
 

Lane Tops Central State 3-0 in SIAC Matchup

Central State University (11-19, 8-9 SIAC) fell to Lane College (9-17, 8-9 SIAC) in straight sets, 25-20, 25-21, 25-14, on Friday afternoon at J.F. Lane Gymnasium in Jackson, Tennessee. The Marauders struggled throughout the match, hitting just .023 as a team, and were unable to overcome Lane's strong offensive and defensive performance.

Lane's offense was led by Kyra Gaston, who registered a match-high 10 kills, while Malaya Young added 8 kills and 4 blocks. The Dragons' balanced attack helped them dominate the match, with a hitting percentage of .161 compared to Central State's .023.

Central State had individual bright spots, as DesiRaye Blakely led the team with 6 kills, followed by Si'Ayera Boone with 4. However, the Marauders struggled with consistency, particularly in the second and third sets, where they hit negative and low percentages, respectively.

Defensively, Amasjah Gillings led Central State with 11 digs, but the team couldn't contain Lane's offensive firepower. Lane's defense, including 4 blocks from Young and 12 digs from Amya Bartlett, was solid throughout, limiting Central State's opportunities.

Despite the loss, Central State showed resilience in each set, but Lane's effective offense and defense ultimately proved too much to handle. With the defeat, the Marauders will look to regroup before their next matchup.

Final Score:

• Central State 0, Lane 3
• Set Scores: 25-20, 25-21, 25-14

Key Stats:

• Central State: DesiRaye Blakely – 6 kills, 1 block
• Lane: Kyra Gaston – 10 kills, 4 aces, 12 digs