Box Score
SAVANNAH, Ga. – Down two sets to none, the Savannah State volleyball squad rallied back against Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference foe Bethune-Cookman, winning the third set and forcing a fourth set. The Lady Tigers fell short in the fourth set as Bethune-Cookman took the match 3-1, Friday night in Wilcox-Willey Gymnasium.

Junior's Bryana Gadis and Chikia Jones led the Lady Tigers with 12 and 11 kills, respectively. Bridgette Stephens led both teams with a career high 22 digs, breaking her previous record of 14 digs, set in a match against Bethune-Cookman on September 9, 2011. Freshman Justice Dilworth added 13 digs.

A kill from Gadis and an error from the Lady Wildcats gave SSU a 2-0 lead in the first set. Bethune-Cookman quickly tied the game with a service ace. Two more SSU kills gave the Lady Tigers a 4-2 lead as the teams continued to battle in a fast paced set.

Teams tied the match three more times before the visitors took a 13-10 lead, prompting an SSU timeout. SSU continued to fight, but failed to take the lead away from the Lady Wildcats. Two costly SSU errors gave Bethune-Cookman a 23-17 lead. Moments later the visitors took a 1-0 match lead with a 25-18 set win.

In the second set, a kill from freshman Jasmine Waite tied the game up at four. Two service aces from Gadis gave SSU a 6-4 lead and some momentum. A number of errors from SSU and a kill from Bethune-Cookman setter Monica Lowe gave the visitors from Florida a 12-8 lead.

Out of a timeout, the Lady Wildcats jumped out to a 17-9 lead behind a 4-1 run. Bethune-Cookman rode the momentum to a 25-16 set win, taking a 2-0 lead into the third set.

In the third set, Bethune-Cookman took a 7-3 lead behind two service aces from Krysta Gardner. The Lady Tigers battled back with a service ace from Stephens, and two kills from Jones, cutting the visitors lead to 8-9 later in the set.

Trailing 16-21, Gadis laid down a kill on a set from Asiha Williams sparking some momentum for the Lady Tigers. SSU took advantage of some costly Bethune-Cookman errors, cutting the visitors lead to one point, 21-22, on a service ace from Jones and back-to-back kills from Gadis.

Waite tied the match up at 22 with a kill on a set from SSU senior Ashlee Butler. A Bethune-Cookman error gave the Lady Tigers a 23-22 lead, prompting a Lady Wildcat timeout.

Out of the timeout, Bethune-Cookman tied the game up at 23 on a kill from Gardner. Gadis responded with a kill on a set from Butler, giving SSU the game point and a 24-23 lead. A kill from Stephens on a set from SSU senior Nabori Perez solidified the 25-23 set win for the Lady Tigers, forcing a fourth set.

The Lady Wildcats came strong in the fourth set taking a quick 10-2 lead behind four kills from Gardner. The Lady Tigers went on a 3-0 run out of timeout, cutting the visitors lead to 5-10. Bethune-Cookman fired back with three points, but Dilworth knocked down back-to-back kills to cut the Lady Wildcats lead to 13-9. The Lady Tigers struggled to gain a stride in the game as Bethune-Cookman extended their lead to 20-13.

Two Bethune-Cookman errors gave SSU their last two points. Gardner served the final three points of the match, as the Lady Wildcats sealed up the 3-1 match win with a 25-15 game win. 

Savannah State falls to 0-27 and 0-6 in the MEAC, while Bethune-Cookman improves to 4-24 and 4-2 in the MEAC.

The Lady Tigers return to action Sunday, hosting Florida A&M in Wilcox-Wiley Gymnasium. First serve is set for 1 p.m. Admission to all SSU home volleyball matches is free.