NEWARK, Del. (September 14, 2024) – Howard University women's volleyball team opened the Blue Hens Invitational, hosted by the University of Delaware, with a three-set sweep over Marist (25-18, 25-20, 25-11) in Newark, Del.
 
With the outcome, Howard improved to 5-3 overall while the Red Foxes remain winless (0-8). Additionally, Bison head coach Shaun Kupferberg is one win closer to 400 career victories.
 
Two-time MEAC (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) Player of the Year junior Rya McKinnon (Hoover, Ala.) recorded her fifth double-double (15 kills and 11 digs) of the season, along three service aces in the win.
 
HU took game one despite a close bout throughout the set, eclipsing a .385 hitting percentage.
 
Marist tied set two with a service ace from Kaitlyn Owens, 13-13, but HU scored four unanswered points, capped off by an ace by graduate middle blocker Amanda Ifeanyichukwu (The Woodlands, Texas), to regain the momentum, 17-13. From there, Howard never looked and held a commanding 2-0 match lead going into game three.
 
Howard led set three from start-to-finish, cruising to victory after producing a .313 hitting percentage. For the Red Foxes, they were unable to get into a rhythm, finishing game three with a -0.027 hitting percentage.
 
Senior outside hitter Dami Awojobi (Hempstead, N.Y.) racked up 11 kills and five digs while fellow classmate Bria Woodard (Missouri City, Texas) added eight kills with a .500 hitting percentage.
 
Third-year setter Leah Reeves (Allen, Texas) orchestrated the Bison attack, dishing out 25 assists in the victory.
 
Eden Bristow led the Red Foxes with a team-leading eight kills in the loss.
 
Sunday (Sept. 15), HU closes out the weekend with Delaware. First serve is scheduled for 2 p.m.
 
For more information, visit the Bison Athletics website at www.HUBison.com.