POINT LOOKOUT, Mo. - CIU women's volleyball opened pool play at the 2024 NCCAA Division Women's Volleyball National Championship on Wednesday, recording two victories with wins over both the No. 8 and No. 5 seeds. The Rams took down No. 8 seeded Carolina (N.C.) 3-1 in the day's first match and then swept Bethel (Ind.) to cap the evening.

MATCH ONE (CIU 3 CU 1: 25-17, 25-23, 24-26, 25-15): Fellow South Region member Carolina fought quite a fight, including stealing set three from the Rams. The Bruins led the Rams 11-5 in the fourth set before the CIU stormed back to score eight unanswered points, ultimately winning the set by double-digits.

Kira Rymer Attaway recorded a season-high 14 kills and a .306 hitting percentage. Hanah Weiss and Hadassah Davis each reached double-digit kills, with Weiss posting 13 and Davis chalking up 10. Setters Kamelia De Jesus and Melissa Campos Soto each had double-doubles. De Jesus picked up 21 assists and 12 digs, and Campos Soto tallied 17 assists and 11 digs. Libero Kelce Mangum led the Rams in digs with 27.

MATCH TWO: (CIU 3 Bethel 0: 25-22, 25-23, 25-20): CIU swept the Pilots in a rematch of the 2023 NAIA Championship Opening round. Lydia Gustafson and Kira Rymer Attaway each had nine kills, as Weiss and Davis posted seven apiece. Seventeen assists would come by way of Campos Soto, while De Jesus achieved another double-double with 14 assists and 11 digs.

Gustafson was a force at the net with five total blocks, while Mangum protected the back line with ten digs. Freshman defensive specialist Bellamy Fennell filled the stat sheet with two service aces and seven digs.

Up Next: The Rams have all but locked up a spot in Friday's semifinals as they finish pool play against No. 4 Mid-America (Okla.) on Thursday, Dec. 5, at 1:30 p.m. CT.