Coppin State Takes Down UConn as Defense and Serving Power Four-Set Victory
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Posted By: Randi Payton on September 19, 2026 STORRS, Conn., Sept. 19, 2026 — Coppin State dropped the opening set, then took control on UConn’s home court Friday night, defeating the Huskies 3–1 behind a defensive performance that repeatedly disrupted the hosts’ attack. The Eagles won 23–25, 25–23, 25–12 and 25–18 in the opening match of the “For the White & Blue” Tournament, extending their winning streak to four and evening their record at 5–5 against nonconference Division 1 schools. The numbers told the story: Coppin finished with 16 blocks, held UConn to a .066 hitting percentage and benefited from 36 Huskies attack errors. The Eagles also outpaced the hosts in digs, 46–40, and service aces, 6–2, overcoming UConn’s 45–41 advantage in kills. Aya Rawlins contributed two service aces, matching teammate Coco Figueroa, as Coppin gained an important edge at the service line. The pair accounted for four of the Eagles’ six aces in the victory. A junior libero and defensive specialist from Silver Spring, Maryland, Rawlins wears No. 9 for the Eagles. She attended Paint Branch High School, where she was a three-year starter and earned first-team All-County honors in 2022 and 2023. Her contribution Friday was part of a balanced team effort led offensively by Cherisse Atilano’s 12 kills. Setter Eva Rovello delivered a double-double with 26 assists and 14 digs, adding five kills and four blocks, while Kayden Cupid finished with eight kills on nine attempts and six blocks. After losing a close opener, Coppin answered with a 25–23 second-set victory despite hitting just .069 in the frame. The Eagles then separated themselves in the third, producing nine kills against only two errors and hitting .368 on the way to a commanding 25–12 win. UConn’s offense struggled to recover, hitting negative .182 in the third set and .000 in the fourth. Coppin closed the match with a 25–18 final set, completing a comeback built on sustained defensive pressure rather than overwhelming offensive volume. Coppin’s win offers an occasion to revisit earlier HBCU victories over prominent volleyball programs, including Florida A&M’s four-set defeat of No. 22 Louisville on Sept. 7, 2002. FAMU won that match 30–28, 22–30, 30–25 and 30–27. Two years later, on Sept. 10, 2004, FAMU defeated No. 2 Nebraska 3–1 in Lincoln before a sellout crowd of 4,151. FAMU became the first unranked nonconference team to win at the Huskers’ Coliseum since 1986. Coppin’s victory belongs in a different category because UConn does not appear in the current AVCA Top 25 published by the NCAA. That distinction does not diminish what the Eagles accomplished Friday: a road victory secured by winning three consecutive sets after falling behind. Randi Payton (with research by Perplexity AI) rpayton@decisivemedia.net If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email! 
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Randi Payton
Entrepreneurial Journalism Instructor, Multimedia Training Institute University of the District of Columbia class of 1982 Member Since December 2020 |
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