Box Score
SAVANNAH, Ga. – The Savannah State volleyball team celebrated the careers of five seniors Thursday night in Wilcox-Wiley Gymnasium prior to their final home game of the 2012 season. Seniors, Ashlee Butler, Keandra Lewis, Kaneisha Hamilton, Nabori Perez and Chikia Jones were honored in the ceremony.

The Lady Tigers rallied back midway through the ensuing match with South Carolina Upstate after trailing two sets to none. SSU won a thrilling third set to force a fourth game.  The Lady Spartans sealed up the 3-1 match win in the fourth set.

Jasmine Waite and Bryana Gadis led SSU with eight kills apiece. Jones recorded seven kills. Hamilton recorded a career high 20 digs, leading the field, in her final game in Wilcox-Wiley. Freshman Justice Dilworth served a career high five aces, helping the team to a season high 10 service aces.

After falling 15-25, and 13-25 in the first two sets, the Lady Tigers came out strong in the third set. SSU took a 5-3 lead early on a service ace from Dilworth. The Lady Tigers maintained their lead until the Spartans tied the match up at seven on a kill from Javon Gates.

The Lady Tigers jumped out to a 14-10 lead behind back-to-back service aces from Dilworth, prompting a USC Upstate timeout. Out of the timeout, the Lady Tigers extended their lead to 17-12 on several Spartan errors.

Leading 20-17 out of another timeout, SSU pushed closer to the win on a kill from Waite with a set from Butler. Butler recorded 18 assists on the night, and leads the team with 307 overall. A costly error from the Spartans gave SSU a 23-19 lead.

Gadis gave SSU the match point with a kill on a set from Asiha Williams. USC Upstate continued to battle cutting the Lady Tigers lead to two, 24-22, on a kill from Kayla Eversgerd. The kill sparked some offense as the Spartans tied the match at 24 moments later.

Williams knocked down a kill to give the Lady Tigers a 25-24 lead. On a serve from Hamilton, Waite pounded down a kill to give SSU the 26-24 set win, and force a fourth set.

In the fourth set, the Spartans jumped out to a 5-2 lead early behind some costly SSU errors. A kill and service ace from Waite cut the visitors lead to one, 4-5. Dilworth added her fifth service ace to again cut the Spartans lead to one, 6-7.

Out of a timeout, the USC Spartans took a 13-7 lead behind several kills. Kills from Gadis and Jones cut the visitors lead to five, 10-15. Leading 11-15, the Spartans sealed up the 3-1 match win with a 10-0 run, winning the fourth set 25-11.

The Lady Tigers travel to North Carolina this weekend for their final two games of the season. SSU plays North Carolina A&T Friday evening and North Carolina Central Sunday afternoon to conclude the 2012 campaign.