FRANKFORT, Ky. – Kentucky State women's volleyball earned its first victory of the 2026 season Wednesday night, sweeping Kentucky Christian 3-0 inside Bell Gymnasium.
The Thorobreds controlled the opening two sets with 25-11 and 25-9 victories before holding off the Knights in a tightly contested third set, 28-26, to complete the sweep.
Kentucky State was efficient offensively throughout the match, finishing with 36 kills and a .313 hitting percentage while holding Kentucky Christian to 16 kills and a -.106 hitting percentage. The Thorobreds also recorded nine service aces and six total blocks.
Laila Wheaton led the Kentucky State attack with 10 kills on 17 attempts, hitting .471 while adding a match-high four service aces. She finished with 14.5 points to lead the Thorobreds.
Jaazaniah Calvert and
Ananiah Huguely each added eight kills. Calvert hit .316 and added a block assist, while Huguely contributed five digs, three total blocks and a service ace.
Setter
Sienna Stewart directed the offense with 27 assists and four digs, while
Zora Nooks paced the back row with a match-high 12 digs.
Kentucky State began to separate midway through the opening set. Leading 7-5, the Thorobreds put together a 14-2 stretch to build a commanding 21-7 advantage. The run featured three Calvert kills, two Collins service aces, an ace from
Sydney Shelby and multiple kills from Huguely. Wheaton closed the set with a kill to give Kentucky State the 25-11 set win.
The Thorobreds carried that momentum into the second set, opening with a 5-0 run behind Wheaton, who recorded a kill and back-to-back service aces during the stretch. Kentucky State extended its advantage to 17-5 and never allowed the Knights back into the frame. Collins finished the set with a kill for the 25-9 decision.
Kentucky Christian provided its strongest challenge in the third set. The frame featured 13 ties and six lead changes, with neither team able to create significant separation.
The Knights moved ahead 23-22 late in the set before Kentucky State answered to tie the score at 23. The teams continued trading points until the frame reached 26-26. From there, Huguely and
Destiny Rogers combined for consecutive blocks before Huguely delivered a match-clinching service ace to secure the 28-26 victory and complete the sweep.
The early non-conference slate will continue Sept. 4-5 at the Thomas More Tournament, set to open against Salem and Lake Superior State on Friday.
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