DOVER, Del. (October 3, 2025) - Howard University volleyball stormed back from a two-set deficit Friday night to defeat Delaware State (DSU) on the road, 3-2 (21-25, 22-25, 25-17, 25-19, 15-9).
 
The victory moved the Bison to 8-5 overall and 2-1 in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) play.
 
Howard came out energized to start the match, opening with a kill before a pair of big blocks from Kaitlynn Robinson (Oklahoma City) sparked a quick 3-0 run. The Bison continued to press, doubling up Delaware State, 6-3, before back-to-back kills from Aziah Buckner (Memphis, Tenn.) extended the lead, 8-3, and forced the Hornets to burn an early timeout.
 
The momentum shifted slightly after the break as Delaware State responded with a 6-1 run to level the score, 9-9. Howard momentarily regained control, edging ahead, 13-10, but the Hornets found another surge.
 
A 5-0 run capped by an ace gave Delaware State its first lead, 19–17. Howard tied the set again at 19-all, but a late push by the Hornets, including a timely block at set point, closed it out, 25-21, in favor of the home team.
 
The Bison once again came out sharp to begin the second set, grabbing a 3-1 lead behind early aggression at the net. But Delaware State answered quickly with an uncontested 5-0 run to surge ahead, 6–3, then extended the lead, 9-4, as the Bison struggled to reset its rhythm.
 
Howard regrouped and responded with an impressive 5-0 run of their own, tying the set, 9-9, and forcing the Hornets to take a timeout to halt the momentum.
 
The two sides traded points from there with neither gaining more than a two-point edge. Howard matched Delaware State stride-for-stride during a key middle stretch, eventually tying the score again, 18-18. A key block from Robinson gave the Bison a 21-20 lead and a late spark, but the Hornets responded with four straight points to reach set point. A Delaware State service error gave Howard a brief opening, but a service ace miscue from the Bison handed the Hornets the set, 25-22.
 
Howard struck first in the third set, but Delaware State stayed close, refusing to let the Bison gain separation. The score was tied 10 times before either team reached 12 points as both sides traded kills and defensive stops in a tightly contested opening frame. The breakthrough came when Howard pieced together a 5-0 run, fueled by sharp serving and capped by an ace from Leah Reeves (Allen, Texas), to take a 15-11 lead and prompt a Delaware State timeout.
 
The Hornets trimmed the deficit, 16-14, coming out of the break, but Howard answered immediately with four straight points to pull ahead, 20-14. Delaware State tried to rally once more, but Camryn Shelton (Charlotte, N.C.) stepped up late with a kill, followed by an ace to set up set point. A Hornet kill delayed the finish, but a service error on the next play handed Howard the set, 25-17, giving the Bison their first of the night and new life in the match.
 
Delaware State flipped the script to start the fourth, opening with a 4-1 lead as Howard worked to regain its footing. The Bison quickly responded, stringing together a 4-0 run to take a 5-4 advantage and shift the momentum. Behind timely kills from reigning MEAC Rookie of the Week Alexys James (Houston), Howard extended the lead, 8-5, and prompted a Hornets timeout.
 
Delaware State responded with a kill and a block to close the gap, 8-7, and a miscue on a set later leveled the score, 11-11. The two teams traded points again, tying things at 12 apiece before Howard used a timeout to reset.
 
Out of the break, the Bison found their rhythm. A 5-1 run, highlighted by a well-placed ace from Rya McKinnon (Hoover, Ala.), gave Howard breathing room, 18-14. Delaware State clawed back with three straight points as Howard's attack briefly stalled, trimming the lead, 18-17. But the Bison finished strong. Reeves guided the offense down the stretch, assisting five kills during Howard's closing 5-1 run to seal the 25-19 win.
 
With the match on the line, Howard came out with energy to open the fifth set, quickly taking a 2-0 lead. Delaware State responded in kind, tying the score, 2-2, before stringing together a run to pull ahead, 7-3. The Bison, unfazed by the early deficit, turned the tide during Gabby Allen's (Laurel, Md.) service rotation, piecing together a 4-0 run to even the score, 7–7. The Hornets briefly reclaimed the lead, 8-7, but Howard answered to knot things again, 9-9. With Buckner on serve, a pivotal block by Zenai Jethroe (Dallas) gave the Bison a 10-9 edge — a momentum-shifting play that marked the beginning of the end. Howard never looked back, closing the set on a dominant 6-0 run to win, 15-9, and complete the comeback victory, taking the final three sets to claim the match.
 
Howard finished the night with 53 kills to Delaware State's 46 and held advantages in digs (50–39) and hitting percentage (.199 to .135).
 
Three Bison reached double-digit kills: Buckner (15); McKinnon (13) and James (12).
 
Reeves paced the offense with 44 assists and eight digs while Robinson led at the net with five total blocks. Shelton served a team-best four aces.
 
The Bison return to the District Sunday (Oct. 5) to continue conference play with a matchup against Maryland Eastern Shore at 1 p.m.
 
For more information, visit the official Howard Athletics website at www.hubison.com.