Women's Volleyball 10/26/2014 6:07:00 PM

Volleyball Drops Final Two Home MEAC Games

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

SAVANNAH, Ga. – The Savannah State volleyball team played the final two home Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) games this weekend against the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the MEAC Southern Division.

On Sunday, against the No.1 team in the Southern Division, Florida A&M, SSU played a tough final two sets. The Lady Rattlers skimmed by in the final set for the 3-0 win.

In the opening set, FAMU jumped out to a 4-1 lead early behind back-to-back kills from Pamela Soriano. The Lady Rattlers extended their lead to 9-5 on a service ace from Jordyn Wright, forcing the Lady Tigers to take a timeout.

Out of the timeout, the Lady Rattlers opened a 7-1 run, taking all the momentum. Down the final stretch, FAMU kept the pressure up as the Lady Tigers struggled to put up the points. FAMU won the set 25-13, for a 1-0 lead in the match.

The tides shifted in the second set. After FAMU opened with a 2-0 run, the Lady Tigers took their first lead of the match behind a 4-1 run.

After knotting the match up four times, SSU took a 12-9 lead in the set behind a 4-1 run that was capped by a kill from Zariya Thomas. SSU held on to their lead through the middle of the set.

Florida A&M bounced back with a 4-1 run that was capped with a service ace from Soriano, tying the set up at 14.

Two SSU errors and a FAMU kill put the visitors up 18-15. Out of a timeout, FAMU jumped out to a 20-15 lead, but SSU stayed in the fight behind a kill from Thomas.

FAMU finished out the second set with a 25-18 win, on a kill from Soriano for a 2-0 match lead.

SSU came out firing in the third set, taking a 4-1 lead early behind two service aces from Caitlynn Masoe and a kill from Elexius Harris.

FAMU fired back with 5-0 run to knot the match up at 7, later. But, the Lady Tigers regained the lead quickly behind a kill from Masoe and a FAMU error.

Midway through, teams traded blow for blow as one team never dipped out of two points of the other. Soriano committed a costly error to tie the game up 19 late in the set.

Dilworth followed the error with a kill and Thomas added a service to lift SSU to a 21-19 lead. A costly SSU error and back-to-back service aces from Sydni Etheredge put FAMU back on top, 22-21.

A FAMU error tied the game up at 22 out of a timeout. Soriano lifted the visitors to a 23-22 lead on a kill, but Masoe responded with a kill to tie the set up at 23.

Soriano again edged the Lady Rattlers into the lead on a kill. A costly attack error from the Lady Tigers ended the set and the match as FAMU sealed up the 3-0 win with a 25-23 victory in the final game.

Thomas led the Lady Tigers with a nine kills, followed by Dilworth, who registered seven kills. Alexis Washington led in digs with nine.

Soriano registered 16 kills in the match, followed by Etheredge with eight. Joanie Del Castillo led in digs with 14.

On Friday, the Lady Tigers fell in straight sets to the No. 2 team in the MEAC Southern Division, Bethune-Cookman.

SSU played tough in the opening set, falling 17-25, but faltered in the second set as the Lady Wildcats make quick work of the set with a 25-9 win. It was all Cookman in the final set, as they sealed up their fifth MEAC win with a 25-14 win.

Thomas led the Lady Tigers with nine kills in the loss. Washington and Olivia Wasdin led in digs with six apiece.

After the weekend, SSU falls to 4-21 on the season and 0-6 in the MEAC. They finish out the home schedule this week with two nonconference matches against The Citadel and Mercer on Tuesday and Wednesday.

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Players Mentioned

#1 Elexius Harris: OH/MH; 5' 9"; Freshman

#2 Zariya Thomas: OH/RS; 5' 11"; Freshman

#4 Alexis Washington: L; 5' 4"; Sophomore

#7 Caitlynn Masoe: S; 5' 9"; Sophomore

#6 Olivia Wasdin: DS/L; 5' 8"; Graduate Student

Players Mentioned

#1 Elexius Harris
: 5' 9"; Freshman
: OH/MH

#2 Zariya Thomas
: 5' 11"; Freshman
: OH/RS

#4 Alexis Washington
: 5' 4"; Sophomore
: L

#7 Caitlynn Masoe
: 5' 9"; Sophomore
: S

#6 Olivia Wasdin
: 5' 8"; Graduate Student
: DS/L