HAMPTON, VA- The Chowan University volleyball team came up short in the CIAA Volleyball Championship against Fayetteville State University.  The Lady Broncos were crowned the 2012 CIAA Champions on Sunday afternoon at the Boo Williams Sports Complex.
 
Fayetteville State University and the CIAA Coach of the Year Rasheema Johnson  claimed their fourth CIAA Championship Title.  Their last title came in 2007.  Sunday's match was the fourth straight championship appearance for the Hawks, their first under head coach Makini Thompson.    
 
CIAA Volleyball Championship Tournament MVP Joi Emmanuel led the Lady Broncos with 16 kills in the match, leading all attackers in the 3-1 win. 
 
Chowan University's Karina Monroe collected 15 kills, and Callie Armistead tallied 51 assists in their last match for the Blue and White.  Monica Ruffin and Brianna Smith each grabbed 12 kills in the match, and CIAA Rookie of the Year Cindy Ehrich had 31 digs in the loss. 
 
All of the matches were closely contested.  The Lady Broncos grabbed the first two sets 28-26 and 25-23.  The Hawks rallied back to win the third set 25-23 before falling to Fayetteville State in the fourth set 25-10.    
 
The Hawks lead the first set 23-20 after a fierce rally with the Lady Broncos.  A kill from Fayetteville State's Joylene Thompson pushed the momentum  back to the Lady Broncos, and three consecutive attack errors allowed Fayetteville State to take a 24-23 lead. 
 
A Fayetteville attack error knotted the set 24-24, and kills from Thompson and Emanuel sealed the 26-24 victory for the Lady Broncos. 
 
The second set was much like the first, with both teams vying for the lead.  With the set tied 19-19, the Lady Broncos were able to pull ahead 22-20 after a Chowan service error and three key kills from Nikita Cheadle , Taylor Norris, and Emanuel of Fayetteville State. 
 
A kill from Chowan's Nikira Fults earned the serve back for the Hawks, and Chowan was able to take advantage of two attack errors to knot the set once more 23-23.  Fayetteville State put the second match away thanks to kills from Joylene Thompson and Ifeyinawa Nwokolo. 
 
In the third set, the Lady Broncos and Hawks continued to fight for the lead.  With the score knotted 22-22, the Hawks took advantage of a Fayetteville State service error, a kill from Karina Monroe, and a service ace from Cindy Ehrich to steal the third set 25-23. 
 
Fayetteville State quickly grabbed a 9-4 lead early in the fourth set of the match.  The Hawks pulled within two points, before a service error returned the momentum in favor of the Lady Broncos. 
 
Fayetteville State took advantage of the error, and scored their next two points off a service ace and a Chowan attack error to move ahead 12-7.  The Lady Broncos kept the momentum on their side of the court, scoring in bunches to pull ahead 15-9.  Nine consecutive points by the Lady Broncos put them within one point of the Championship Title before  finally clinching it 25-10. 

The Hawks close out the year with a 22-8 overall record.  The Lady Broncos head the NCAA Regional with a 28-5 overall record.  
 
Chowan University's Cindy Ehrich, Karina Monoe and Monica Ruffin were named to the 2012 CIAA All-Tournament Team. 
 
A complete list of the 2012 CIAA All-Tournament Team is listed below
 
Karina Monroe (Chowan University)
Monica Ruffin (Chowan University)
Cindy Ehrich (Chowan University)
Kyla Shute (Elizabeth City State University)
JaMisha Jordan (Fayetteville State University)
Joi Emmanuel  (Fayetteville State University)
Ifeyinwa Nwokolo (Fayetteville State University)
Phylicia Egbuna (Livingstone College)
DeAnn Smith (Winson-Salem State University)
Tournament MVP Joi Emmanuel (Fayetteville State University)