WASHINGTON (October 8, 2025) — Howard University volleyball (8-7) battled through four competitive sets Wednesday evening, but ultimately falling, 3-1, to UMBC (25–18, 25–17, 19–25, 25–18) inside Burr Gymnasium.
 
UMBC opened the match with early momentum, jumping ahead, 3-1, before Howard evened the score, 3-3. A pair of Retriever kills extended the gap, but a block from Aziah Buckner (Memphis, Tenn.) and Zenai Jethroe (Dallas) brought the Bison within one, 6-5. Howard stayed close through the middle of the set, trailing just 12-10 before UMBC capitalized on a pair of kills and an ace to widen the lead, 15-11.
 
Out of the media timeout, the Retrievers continued to find seams in the Bison defense, pushing the advantage, 20-14. Howard strung together back-to-back kills late in the frame, along with a UMBC attack error, to hold off set point briefly, but the Retrievers sealed the opener, 25-18.
 
Howard struck first in the second frame with Rya McKinnon (Hoover, Ala.) delivering a kill to the right side for a quick 2–0 lead. UMBC responded with four straight points to take control, using aces and front-row pressure to double the score, 10-5. A kill from Buckner and an ace by Claire Simpson (Plainfield, Ill.) helped the Bison close within three, 11-8, and a pair of timely blocks by Buckner and Kristen Dear (Carson, Calif.) kept Howard close, 15-13; however, a late Retriever run, fueled by consecutive kills and a block, gave UMBC breathing room. Despite a strong push from Jethroe, who tallied two kills and a block down the final stretch, the Retrievers held on to take the set, 25-17.
 
The third set saw the Bison flip the momentum. After an early 1-1 tie, Howard surged ahead behind the play of setter Alexys James (Houston), whose ace and quick distribution fueled a 7-6 advantage. Back-to-back kills from Dear and Kennedi Wright (Plano, Texas) gave the Bison rhythm and a 6-2 run, led by McKinnon, created space, 15-11. The home crowd came alive as rookie Corinne Howard (Derwood, Md.) teamed up with Dear for a block, pushing the margin, 16-11. UMBC struggled to slow Howard's energy, forcing multiple timeouts as the Bison extended the lead, 20-12. Wright and Jethroe continued to hammer away and despite a brief Retriever rally late in the frame, a UMBC service error handed Howard the 25-19 win to force a fourth set.
 
UMBC regained its footing to start the fourth, using a pair of aces to build a 6-3 lead. Howard stayed within striking distance as Jethroe and Wright combined for key kills to narrow the score, 9-8. The Retrievers' blocking proved crucial, creating separation, 14–10, before extending the lead, 19-12. Howard mounted a late 6-1 rally behind Wright's steady attacking and Simpson's second ace of the night, inching within two, 20-18, and prompting a UMBC timeout.
 
The Retrievers regrouped and closed on a 5-0 run to take the set, 25-18, and the match, 3-1.
 
McKinnon led the Bison with 14 kills and 12 digs for her sixth double-double of the season. Jethroe added 12 kills and four blocks while James posted a career- and match-high 38 assists, along with seven digs. Simpson anchored the back row with 13 digs.
 
Howard returns to action Friday, Oct. 10, at 6 p.m., when it travels to face North Carolina Central.
 
For more information visit the official Howard Athletics page www.hubison.com.