TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Savannah State University volleyball (0-27, 0-7 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) team fell to Florida A&M University (6-17, 6-1 MEAC) 3-0 (25-17, 25-8, 25-14) in The Al Lawson Center on Sunday.
 
Junior Gabrielle Nathaniel led the team with nine kills and had a .238 hitting percentage and added four digs, while junior setter Caitlynn Masoe led the team with 17 assists, six digs and two kills.
 
Junior libero Alexis Washington led the team with 12 digs, while senior middle blocker Christian Lyle added seven kills with a .417 hitting percentage.
 
The Lady Tigers scored the first three points of the first set for a 3-0 lead, but FAMU scored the next four points to capture a 4-3 lead.  SSU quickly regained the lead, scoring the next three points for a two-point lead, 6-4.  The Lady Rattlers scored seven of the next eight points to capture an 11-7 lead, but the Lady Tigers scored five of the next six points to close within a point, 12-11.  FAMU outscored SSU 13-6 during the rest of the set to win the set and to take a 1-0 match lead.  Lyle led the team with three kills with a .600 hitting percentage, while Masoe led the team with three assists, while Washington added five digs.
 
With FAMU holding a point lead, 4-3, in the second frame, the Lady Rattlers scored the next five points to take a six-point lead, 9-3, before a kill from Nathaniel close the gap to five, 9-4.  FAMU outscored SSU 16-4 during the rest of the set to win the set and to take a 2-0 match lead heading into intermission.  Nathaniel led the team with five kills and had a .625 hitting percentage, while Masoe added six assists and Washington added four digs.
 
The Lady Rattlers scored four of the first five points in the final stanza for a 4-1 lead, but the Lady Tigers pulled within a point, 4-3, by scoring the next two points.  FAMU outscored SSU 21-8 during the rest of the set to win the set and the match.  Nathaniel led the team with three kills, while Masoe added eight assists and Washington added three digs. 
 
The Lady Rattlers were led by Deija Martin with nine kills, Valeria Lopez with 27 assists and Pamela Soriano with 10 digs.
 
The Lady Tigers returns home for the final three matches of the season starting with North Carolina A&T State on Friday at 6 p.m. and North Carolina Central on Sunday at 1 p.m. with both matches at Willcox-Wiley Gymnasium.
 
Short Box Score (Match)
Savannah State vs FAMU (Oct 25, 2015 at Tallahassee, FL)
 
FAMU def. Savannah State 25-17,25-8,25-11
 
  Savannah State (0-27, 0-7 MEAC) (Kills-aces-blocks) -
  NATHANIEL,Gabrielle 9-0-1; LYLE,Christian 7-0-1; OFODILE,Chinenye
  3-1-1; TAM,Makayla 3-1-0; MASOE,Caitlynn 2-1-1; Totals 24-3-2.0.
  (Assists) - MASOE,Caitlynn 17. (Dig leaders) - WASHINGTON,Alexis 12;
  MASOE,Caitlynn 6
 
  FAMU (6-17, 6-1 MEAC) (Kills-aces-blocks) - MARTIN,Deija 9-0-3;
  SORIANO,Pamela 8-2-1; TUCKER,Starmichael 6-1-0; LOPEZ,Valeria 5-0-0;
  LOPEZ,Ginna 4-4-0; SORIANO,Andrea 3-3-1; Totals 35-10-3.0. (Assists) -
  LOPEZ,Valeria 27. (Dig leaders) - SORIANO,Pamela 10;
  CARRASCO,Valentina 9; SORIANO,Andrea 8
 
  Site: Tallahassee, FL (The Al Lawson Center)
  Date: Oct 25, 2015   Attend: 147   Time: 1:17   
  Referees:
 
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