VALPARAISO, Ind. – Savannah State University dropped the final two matches of the Valparaiso Popcorn Classic on Saturday in the ARC with losses to host Valparaiso 3-0 (25-13, 25-17, 25-11) and to Elon 3-0 (25- 15, 25-20, 25-13).

Junior middle blocker Gabrielle Nathaniel led the team with eight kills in two matches, including seven kills against Elon, while freshman outside hitter Chinenye Ofodile added seven kills, including four against Valparaiso, and junior setter Caitlynn Masoe added six kills. 
 
Masoe added 24 assists in the two matches, including 13 against Valparaiso, and had nine digs, including five against Valpo.  Nathaniel added 15 digs, including 12 against Valpo, while junior libero Alexis Washington added 13 digs, including nine against Elon.
 
Valparaiso 3, Savannah State 0
Nathaniel led the team with 12 digs and added a kill and a block assist, while Masoe and Ofodile led the team with four kills each.  Masoe also led the team with 13 assists and added five digs.
 
Valpo (9-0) scored the first four points of the match for a 4-0 lead, but the Lady Tigers (0-11) scored the next three points to cut the lead to a point, 4-3.  The Crusaders scored 14 of the next 18 points to take an 18-7 lead and outscored 7-6 during the rest of the set to take an early 1-0 lead.   Masoe led the team with two kills, with three assists and with three digs.
 
The Lady Tigers scored four of the first five points in the second set, but the Crusaders scored the next three points to tie the set at four.  SSU scored the next four points to take an 8-4 lead, but once again Valpo came back by scoring five of the next six points to tie it at nine.  The Crusaders scored six of the next seven points to take a 15-10 lead and outscored SSU 10-7 during the rest of the set to take a 2-0 lead.  Masoe led the team with two kills and had a .250 hitting percentage and added three assists.  Nathaniel led the team with six digs and Washington added five digs. 
 
With the score tied at three early in the third set, the Crusaders scored the next eight points to take an 11-3 lead and outscored the Lady Tigers 14-7 to win the set and the match.  Ofodile, freshman outside hitter Makayla Tam and senior middle blocker Christian Lyle led the team with two kills each, while Masoe led the team with seven assists and Nathaniel led the team with five digs. 
 
The Crusaders were led by Sydney Bronner with eight kills, Tarrah Lasky with 16 assists and with nine digs.
 
Elon 3, Savannah State 0
Nathaniel led the team with seven kills and added one service ace, three digs, one solo block and two block assists, while Masoe led the team with 11 assists and added two kills, four digs and a block assist.  Washington led the team with nine digs, while freshman setter Briana Littlejohn added seven assists. 
 
Elon scored six of the first seven points of the match, before the Lady Tigers scored the next two points to cut the lead to 6-3.  The Phoenix outscored SSU 19-12 during the rest of the set to take an early 1-0 lead.  Nathaniel led the team with three kills, which were the last three points scored for the Lady Tigers in the set, and with a .286 hitting percentage, while Masoe led the team with five assists.  Washington and freshman outsider hitter Ayree Gallon led the team with four digs apiece. 
 
The Lady Tigers scored four of the first five points in the second set, but the Phoenix scored the next four points to take a point lead, 5-4.  After a kill from Lyle to tie the match at five, Elon scored the next four points to take a 9-5 lead and outscored SSU 16-15 during the rest of the set to take a 2-0 lead.  Nathaniel led the team with two kills and added two digs, a solo block and two block assists, while Littlejohn led the team with four assists. 
 
With the score tied at three in the final set, Elon scored eight of the next nine points to take an 11-4 lead and outscored the Lady Tigers 14-9 during the rest of the set to win the set and the match.  Nathaniel, Ofodile and Tam each recorded two kills, while Masoe recorded five assists and Washington had three digs.
 
Elon was led by Sydney Busa with seven kills and with nine digs, and Sydel Curry with 25 assists.
 
Short Box Score (Match)
Savannah State vs Valparaiso (Sep 12, 2015 at Valparaiso, Ind.)
 
  Valparaiso def. Savannah State 25-13,25-17,25-11
 
  Savannah State (0-10) (Kills-aces-blocks) - MASOE,Caitlynn 4-0-0;
  OFODILE,Chinenye 4-0-1; LYLE,Christian 3-0-1; GALLON,Ayree 2-0-0;
  TAM,Makayla 2-0-0; THOMAS,Zariya 2-0-1; LITTLEJOHN,Briana 1-0-0;
  NATHANIEL,Gabrielle 1-1-1; COLBERT,Charlinda 1-0-2; WASHINGTON,Alexis
  0-1-0; Totals 20-2-3.0. (Assists) - MASOE,Caitlynn 13. (Dig leaders) -
  NATHANIEL,Gabrielle 12; WASHINGTON,Alexis 8
 
  Valparaiso (9-0) (Kills-aces-blocks) - BRONNER, Sydney 8-0-4;
  CAMPBELL, Emily 7-0-1; CARLSON, Katherine 7-1-1; ZALESKI, Lizzie
  4-0-0; BRUINSMA, Rachel 4-5-2; KETCHAM, Allison 3-0-0; LACHETA, Jamie
  3-0-2; Totals 36-6-6.0. (Assists) - LASKY, Tarrah 16. (Dig leaders) -
  LASKY, Tarrah 9; CARLSON, Katherine 8
 
  Site: Valparaiso, Ind. (ARC)
  Date: Sep 12, 2015   Attend: 202   Time: 1:00   
  Referees:
  Match six of the 2015 Popcorn Classic.
 
  Short Box Score (Match)
  Elon vs Savannah State (Sep 12, 2015 at Valparaiso, Ind.)
 
  Elon def. Savannah State 25-15,25-20,25-13
 
  Elon (3-9) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Busa, Sydney 7-3-5; Karle, Ally
  6-0-2; Terry, Kam 5-0-0; Klein, Michelle 4-0-7; Scott, Ebony 2-0-1;
  Gravley, Megan 2-1-1; Jaudon, Maddie 0-1-0; Kelly, Erin 0-1-0; Maner,
  Morgan 0-1-0; Curry, Sydel 0-1-2; Totals 26-8-9.5. (Assists) - Curry,
  Sydel 25. (Dig leaders) - Busa, Sydney 9; Jaudon, Maddie 6
 
  Savannah State (0-11) (Kills-aces-blocks) - NATHANIEL,Gabrielle 7-1-3;
  OFODILE,Chinenye 3-0-1; TAM,Makayla 3-1-0; LYLE,Christian 2-0-1;
  MASOE,Caitlynn 2-0-1; THOMAS,Zariya 1-0-0; COLBERT,Charlinda 0-0-1;
  WASHINGTON,Alexis 0-1-0; Totals 18-3-4.0. (Assists) - MASOE,Caitlynn
  11. (Dig leaders) - WASHINGTON,Alexis 9; MASOE,Caitlynn 4
 
  Site: Valparaiso, Ind. (ARC)
  Date: Sep 12, 2015   Attend: 61   Time: 1:03   
  Referees:
  Match eight of the 2015 Popcorn Classic.
 
 
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