BLUEFIELD, Va. — The Milligan University women's volleyball team hit the road for their third straight Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) matchup away from home on Tuesday evening. The battle against the Bluefield University Rams in Bluefield, Va. served as an opportunity for the Buffaloes to find their way into the win column for the first time in 2026. In a back-and-forth tilt, the Buffs were able to fight their way to a five-set victory (25-21, 16-25, 25-20, 20-25, 15-13).
Set number one started inauspiciously for the Lady Buffs, who fell down 6-1 through the opening seven points. Milligan trailed 10-4 at the first timeout taken by head coach
Doneva Bays. From there, a fire was lit under MU, as they scored seven of the next nine to trail just 12-11. The Rams momentarily fended off the onslaught to extend their edge to 15-11, but then it was a 5-2 run from Milligan that tied the score at 17-17. The two sides traded tallies until the 21-21 mark, when the Buffaloes notched four in a row to win the opening set of the matchup.
A less effective second set would follow for Milligan, though they started stronger than in the first. They were tied 7-7 through 14 points, but the Rams pulled away gradually to reach a 20-14 lead before Bays took a timeout for MU. The rest of the set would be no better for the Buffs, who eventually fell 25-16 to even the score at one set apiece.
After the Buffaloes fell down 10-6 in the third set, they concocted a 13-5 stretch over the next 18 points to lead by four, 19-15. The string of strong play would continue for Milligan until the set's conclusion, keeping pace with Bluefield for a 25-20 triumph in the third set. The victory in the frame signified the first time this season that Milligan won two sets in a single match.
The Rams, sensing impending doom, played a much cleaner fourth set. The Buffaloes allowed BU to score the first four points of the set, eventually falling down by eight at 16-8, which prompted a Bays timeout. The lead then grew to as large as nine points at 19-10, before Milligan cut it back to seven at 20-13. With two of the next three points, Bluefield forced the Buffs' second timeout. The Buffs had a late rally, but couldn't make it all the way back, falling 25-20 to set up a deciding fifth set.
After Bluefield worked their way to a 10-7 lead in the fifth frame, Milligan dug deep, rattling off three straight to tie the score at 10-10. After the Buffaloes and Rams traded points to the tune of a 13-12 BU advantage, it was the Buffs who racked up three straight points to end the contest, winning 15-13 and claiming their first victory of the campaign.
Bella Devoti had a strong game as a hitter, tallying 17 kills on 47 attempts with six errors. She hit at a .234 clip in the effort while supplying her season-best total in putaways.
Ashton Blair was next on the list with eight kills for MU, with
Erin Littleton adding six of her own.
Lacie Weatherman provided three putaways in the bout, and both
Clare Clark and
Kyndl Hodge had a pair. The remaining point was added by
Olivia Schoenstra. Hodge had 35 assists as the lone setter in the contest. Blair added two and Weatherman dished out the other helper.
Five Buffaloes had double-digit digs in the win, marking the first time that has been achieved this season. Schoenstra and Blair tied for the team lead with 13 pickups apiece, while
Taylor Brinn,
Rachel Bass and Hodge added on a dozen each. Outside of them, Devoti and Weatherman both picked up a pair, and Littleton achieved the last dig. Milligan teamed up for six total blocks, though their block was a major factor all match long. Clark led the way with four block assists, followed by Devoti with three. Weatherman had a solo block and a block assist, while Blair and Littleton added one assisted stuff each.
For the Buffaloes (1-8, 1-4 AAC), it was a much needed victory, and one that should give them confidence that they can win under duress in pressure situations. Next on the docket for the team is a home AAC tilt against the Brenau University Golden Tigers on Friday, Sept. 25 at 6:30 p.m. inside Steve Lacy Fieldhouse.
