LA PLATA, Md. — No. 16 Richard Bland College swept the College of Southern Maryland 3-0 in women’s volleyball on September 23, 2025, at the CSM Gymnasium, dropping the Hawks to 8-9 overall and 5-1 in the Maryland JUCO Conference. The Statesmen, now 11-3 overall and 1-1 in conference, posted set scores of 25-15, 25-8 and 25-18, extending their road dominance with efficient hitting and strong serving in the non-conference matchup.
Richard Bland jumped ahead early, limiting CSM to a .057 hitting percentage in the first set with just one kill against 10 errors on 35 attempts. The Statesmen capitalized with 11 kills on 29 swings for a .310 clip, setting the tone through aggressive attacks led by starters Gabrielle Meador and Marisa Furner. In the second set, Richard Bland surged to a .400 hitting mark on 21 kills with two errors, while CSM struggled at -.320 on 23 attempts, allowing the visitors to build a 17-point margin. The third set tightened as the Hawks improved to .105 hitting with 10 kills and six errors, but Richard Bland closed strong at .205 on 15 kills, securing the win with timely blocks and digs.
Taelin Connolley paced Richard Bland with 18 points, including 14 kills, five aces and four assists, while adding nine digs for defensive stability. Meador contributed eight points with five kills, three aces, eight digs and four blocks, anchoring the net against CSM’s middle attacks. Furner added nine points with five kills on nine attempts for a .556 efficiency, one ace and six digs. Aliyah Millner tallied nine points with six kills and two blocks, while Braelyn Boyd chipped in 3.5 points with three kills and one block. Gillian Bernier and Kaylie Klemm provided back-row support with three and one digs, respectively, as the team totaled 35 assists, nine aces and six blocks to CSM’s two.
For CSM, Lelia Iafeta led with 13 points and 11 kills on 45 swings at .044, supported by six digs. Amelie Lancioni recorded 10 points with four kills, one ace, 16 assists, 11 digs and one block, nearly posting a double-double in the loss. Deanna Kalkbrenner added nine points with eight kills on 16 attempts at .312, while Donshae Walls contributed one point with two kills and one dig. The Hawks managed 24 assists and nine digs but committed 20 errors to Richard Bland’s nine, highlighting service receive challenges in a gym that seats about 500 and draws local fans from Charles County’s growing student body of 7,200.
The match marked Richard Bland’s first conference win after a 1-1 start, building on their July 18 schedule release that included tough non-conference tests like Pitt Community College. CSM, seeking a fifth straight .500-or-better season to reach NJCAA nationals, absorbed the setback after a 23-3 mark in 2023-24, their most recent full campaign. The Hawks’ conference strength remains intact at 5-1, positioning them well in the Maryland JUCO circuit that spans Maryland’s community colleges.
Richard Bland’s sweep improves their road record to an estimated 6-1 based on early season trends, with next games at Fayetteville Tech on September 20 before returning home. CSM rebounds October 1 against an opponent in conference play, aiming to leverage home-court energy in the 1,000-square-foot gymnasium renovated in 2022 for better sightlines. These encounters reflect Southern Maryland’s rising profile in junior college sports, where CSM’s program has produced transfers to Division I schools like Towson University, contributing to the region’s athletic pipeline.
