WASHINGTON (September 26, 2025) – Howard University women's volleyball team fought hard in its MEAC (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) opener Friday night inside Burr Gymnasium but fell just short in a five-set battle against Coppin State (CSU), 3-2 (25-21, 25-27, 18-25, 25-18, 13-15).
 
The Bison drop to 6-5 overall (0-1 MEAC) while the Eagles sit 7-9-1 (1-0 MEAC).
 
Coppin State opened the match with a 7-0 run, forcing Howard to regroup early. The Bison rallied behind senior outside hitter Rya McKinnon (Hoover, Ala.), who provided a steady stream of kills, and setter Leah Reeves (Allen, Texas), who directed the offense with precision. Howard chipped away at the deficit, eventually tying the set, 17-17. The Bison took control in the late stages with a 7-1 run, capped by a block from middle blocker Kaitlynn Robinson (Oklahoma City) to close the set, 25-21.
 
The second set was tightly contested from start-to-finish with neither team leading by more than three points. Howard appeared poised to take a 2-0 lead after McKinnon's kill gave them a 24-23 advantage, but Coppin State forced extra points and eventually took the set, 27-25. Freshman outside hitter Alexys James (Houston) and libero Claire Simpson (Plainfield, Ill.) contributed key defensive plays, keeping the Bison in contention during the long rallies.
 
Coppin State surged early in the third set with a 5-0 run, putting Howard on the back foot. Despite strong efforts from Aziah Buckner (Memphis, Tenn.) and consistent setting from Reeves, the Bison struggled to regain momentum. CSU's blocking and serve pressure disrupted Howard's rhythm and the Eagles took the set, 25-18, to go up 2-1 in the match.
 
Facing elimination, Howard started strong in the fourth set with a quick 5-1 lead, powered by a kill from McKinnon and a block from Robinson. The Bison extended their advantage, 9-4, after a series of consistent attacks and solid defense, forcing Coppin State to call a timeout. The Bison inched away, 14-7, thanks to multiple attacking errors. Fighting their way back, the Eagles rallied, narrowing the gap, 16-10, before going on an 8-1 surge, 20-18. Howard responded with an uninterrupted 5-0 run, featuring key kills from middle blocker Zenai Jethroe (Dallas), along with another ace from James, to close out the set, 25-18, and force a fifth set.
 
In the final frame, Howard jumped out to a 5-1 lead with a block from Robinson and a cross-court kill from McKinnon. Coppin State countered with a 6-1 run to flip the score, 7-6. The teams tied the board, 11-11, before CSU saw themselves at set match due to a sanction costing Howard a point, 14-11. The Eagles would end it all with a kill to the right side, 15-13.
 
McKinnon led with a team-high 20 kills. Robinson anchored the net with nine key blocks while Buckner protected the floor with 14 digs. Reeves managed the offense with composure, distributing a game-high 28 assists.
 
Howard out-blocked Coppin, 20-10, while holding a higher hitting percentage, .242 to .156.
 
Howard will look to bounce back Sunday (Sept. 28) at 1 p.m., when they host Morgan State at Burr Gymnasium.
 
For more information, visit the official Howard Athletics website www.hubison.com.