BROOKLYN, N.Y. – Chicago State volleyball put together one of its most competitive outings of the season on Saturday afternoon, taking a set from LIU before ultimately falling 3-1 (25-20, 24-26, 25-12, 25-14) at the Steinberg Wellness Center.
The Cougars (0-12, 0-2 NEC) showed resilience throughout the match, highlighted by a thrilling second set in which they rallied late and closed with back-to-back blocks to secure a 26-24 win. The victory marked Chicago State's first set win in Northeast Conference play.
Nayella George paced the Cougar offense with 13 kills and added three blocks, while Zeynep Ertam chipped in 12 kills and nine digs. Setter Alyssa Ferreira directed the attack with 36 assists and a team-high 18 digs for a double-double, while Leah Linares Castro sparked the back row with 15 digs and three service aces.
Defensively, the Cougars were a force at the net, finishing with 12.0 total blocks, led by Graci Littlejohn and Nia Cummings, who teamed up for key stops during the second-set win.
Chicago State now returns home to continue NEC play, eager to build on Saturday's competitive showing and the confidence gained from earning a hard-fought set on the road.
