ORANGEBURG, S.C.  – Freshman outside hitter Amanda Rullan Vilanova and junior outside hitter Jennifer Rosado combined for 28 kills as the Savannah State University women's volleyball team (3-18, 1-4 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) picked up its first conference win of the season with a 3-2 (25-17, 15-25, 21-25, 25-23, 18-16) victory over South Carolina State University (1-20, 0-5 MEAC) Friday in Dukes Gymnasium. 
 
Rullan Vilanova set a career-high with a team-high 16 kills and added a .367 hitting percentage, three service aces and two digs, while Rosado added 12 kills with a .346 hitting percentage, four digs and four blocks.
 
Senior setter Alee Quint led the team with 25 assists and added five digs, while freshman libero Leiri Melendez led the team with 11 digs.  Freshman setter Salma Gonzalez added 20 assists, nine kills and seven digs, while freshman middle blocker Oneillia Fuller added five kills and four blocks and freshman middle blocker Tyran Chenault added six kills and three blocks. 
 
As a team, the Lady Tigers hit .311, including hitting .480 in the first set and recorded seven blocks, while the Bulldogs hit .236, including a .095 in the first set and recorded 13 service errors. 
 
Savannah State scored 14 of the first 21 points in the first set to take a seven-point lead, 14-7, forcing a South Carolina State timeout.  After the timeout, the Bulldogs scored the next point to cut the lead to six points, but the Lady Tigers scored six of the next 11 points to increase their lead to nine points, 20-11.  SCSU scored five of the next six points to cut the lead to five points, 21-16, but SSU scored four of the final five points to win the set by eight points and to take a 1-0 match lead.
 
The Lady Tigers scored four of the first five points in the second frame to take a 4-1 lead, but South Carolina State scored 10 of the next 15 points to take a two-point lead, 11-9.  Savannah State bounced back scoring four of the next six points to tie the set at 13.  SCSU outscored SSU 12-2 during the rest of the set to win the set by 10 points and to tie the match at one.
 
South Carolina State scored nine of the first 11 points in the third stanza to take a seven-point lead, 9-2, but Savannah State scored 18 of the next 29 points to tie the set at 20.  The Bulldogs scored five of the final six points for the four-point set win and to take a 2-1 match lead.
 
Savannah State scored six of the first seven points in the fourth set to take a five-point lead, 6-1, but the Bulldogs scored three of the next four points to cut the lead to three points, 7-4.  The Lady Tigers scored five of the next eight points to increase their lead to five points, 12-7, forcing a SCSU timeout.  After the timeout, the Bulldogs scored the next six points to take a point lead, 13-12, but Savannah State scored the next three points to take a two-point lead, 15-13.  SCSU scored 10 of the next 16 points to take a two-point lead, 23-21, but the Lady Tigers scored the final four points, including three kills from Rullan Vilanova, to give SSU a two-point set win and to tie the match at two.
 
The Lady Tigers scored four of the first five points in the final frame to take a 4-1 lead, but South Carolina State scored the next three points to tie the set at four.  Savannah State scored five of the next eight points to take a two-point lead, 9-7, but the Bulldogs scored the next six points to take a three-point lead, 13-9.  The Lady Tigers scored six of the next seven points to take a point lead, 15-14, but SCSU tied the set at 15 after an SSU attack error.  After both teams traded a point to keep the set tied, at 16, Savannah State scored the final two points, including a match-winning kill from Gonzalez, to win the set by two points and the match.
 
The Bulldogs were led by Alexus Holt with a match-high 27 kills, while Jenai King added a match-high 52 assists and Marcella Chestnut recorded a match-high 18 digs. 
 
The Lady Tigers return home for a two-match homestand with North Carolina Central University Monday at 6 p.m. for Dig Pink and Mercer University, Wednesday, Oct. 25 at 6 p.m. in Willcox-Wiley Gymnasium.
 
Short Box Score (Match)
2017 Savannah State Volleyball
Savannah State vs S.C. State (Oct 13, 2017 at Orangeburg, SC)
 
Savannah State def. S.C. State 25-17,15-25,21-25,25-23,18-16
 
  Savannah State (3-18 MEAC: 1-4) (Kills-aces-blocks) - RULLAN
  VILANOVA,Aman 16-3-1; ROSADO,Jennifer 12-0-4; GONZALEZ,Salma 9-0-1;
  CHENAULT,Tyran 6-0-3; FULLER,Oneillia 5-0-4; JONES,Jademone 2-0-0;
  WILLIAMS,Cortney 2-0-0; GALLON,Ayree 1-0-0; SANFORD,Brooke 1-0-0;
  QUINT,Alee 0-1-0; Totals 54-4-7.0. (Assists) - QUINT,Alee 25;
  GONZALEZ,Salma 20. (Dig leaders) - MELENDEZ,Leiri 11; GONZALEZ,Salma 7
 
  S.C. State (1-20 MEAC: 0-5) (Kills-aces-blocks) - HOLT,Alexus 27-6-1;
  FINNIE,Ashante 14-3-2; DAFNEY,Brianna 13-0-2; WALKER,Desiree 3-0-3;
  PETERSON,Dashanique 1-0-3; KING,Jenai 0-1-0; CHESTNUT,Marcella 0-3-0;
  Totals 58-13-6.0. (Assists) - KING,Jenai 52. (Dig leaders) -
  CHESTNUT,Marcella 18; HOLT,Alexus 7
 
  Site: Orangeburg, SC (Dukes Gymnasium)
  Date: Oct 13, 2017   Attend: 167   Time: 2:05   
  Referees: Morgan Shannon, William Lowery
 
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