#SWACVB18: Lady Hornets down Lady Panthers
SWAC.org
Alabama State 3, Prairie View A&M 1
Box Score
ITTA BENA, Miss. – Defending champion Alabama A&M shook off an early deficit to outgun Prairie View A&M in four sets to advance to the 2018 Southwestern Athletic Conference Women’s Volleyball Tournament Semifinals Friday afternoon at R.W. Harrison HPER Complex.
The Lady Hornets (21-17) dropped set one 25-19, but rebounded to win the next three frames 25-17, 25-11, 25-11.
After Alabama State jumped ahead, Prairie View A&M battled back with a 6-0 run that resulted in a 7-4 lead over the defending champions in set one. The Lady Panthers continued to set the pace until the Lady Hornets reeled off another quartet of scores to tie the match at 16.
From there, the sides traded volleys until a kill by Kaelyn Yeoman and Melissa Bento as well as a tandem block by the duo sparked off a 7-1 Lady Panthers run that sealed the set for the No. 7 seed.
Neither side gained much distance from the other in the initial goings of set two, as the largest lead either team could build was two. Prairie View pushed ahead briefly, but Payten Clark’s two-way play helped key a strong close to the frame in the vein of a 9-1 run that tied the match.
The Lady Hornets dominated set three and were quick out of the gate to begin the fourth stanza as they scored the first eight points of the fray. With Bayle’ Bennett asserting herself in the set, the Lady Hornets were able to cruise to the semifinals.
Bennett recorded a double-double, leading Alabama State with 17 kills and 10 digs. Taira Cottingham added 10 kills. Kori Kutsch dealt out 47 assists to go with six digs, and Kayla Torres anchored the back end with 15 digs.
Victoria Pearson led Prairie View A&M (7-25) with six kills on a .308 hit percentage. Erica Jimenez put up 12 helpers and six kills. Christen Augustine added 12 digs.