SAVANNAH, Ga. – Savannah State University volleyball team fell to Bethune-Cookman 3-0 (25-14, 25-14, 25-13) in its Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference opener Friday night in Willcox-Wiley Gym.
 
Freshman outside hitter Ayree Gallon led the team with five kills, while junior setter Caitlynn Masoe led the team with 15 assists and added four kills and five digs.  Junior libero Alexis Washington led the team with 10 digs. 
 
Freshman setter Briana Littlejohn added six assists and seven digs, while senior outside hitter Christian Lyle added four kills.
 
The first set was close as neither team had a lead of more than a point.  With the score tied at seven, Bethune-Cookman (4-11, 1-0 MEAC) scored eight of the next 10 points to capture a six-point lead, 15-9.  B-CU outscored SSU 10-5 during the rest of the set to win the set and take an early 1-0 lead.  Freshman outside hitter Chinenye Ofodile led the team with three kills, while Littlejohn led the team with four digs and Masoe led the team with four assists.
 
The Wildcats scored the four of the first five points in the second set, but the Lady Tigers (0-18, 0-1 MEAC) cut the lead to two, 9-7 after a kill from junior middle blocker Gabrielle Nathaniel.  B-CU outscored SSU 16-7 during the rest of the set to take a 2-0 lead into intermission.  Nathaniel, freshman outside hitter Makayla Tam and Gallon led the team with two kills each, while Maose led the team with six assists and with five digs and Washington added five digs.    
 
The Lady Tigers scored the first point of the final set, but B-CU scored eight of the next 10 points to take an 8-3 lead forcing an SSU timeout.  After the timeout, the Lady Tigers scored the next three points to close the gap to two, 8-6, but the Wildcats outscored SSU 17-7 during the rest of the set to win the set and the match.  Lyle led the team with three kills, while Masoe led the team with five assists and Washington added three digs. 
 
The Wildcats were led by Rhea Simon with 11 kills and had a .550 hitting percentage, Hazel Ortiz-Rosado with 17 assists and Delicia Pierre with 11 digs.
 
The Lady Tigers finishes its four-match homestand on Sunday against Florida A&M on Sunday at 1 p.m. in Willcox-Wiley Gym. 
 
Short Box Score (Match)
BCU vs Savannah State (Sep 25, 2015 at Savannah, Ga.)
 
BCU def. Savannah State 25-14,25-14,25-13
 
  BCU (4-11, 1-0 MEAC) (Kills-aces-blocks) - SIMON,Rhea 11-0-1;
  ARMSTRONG,Phylecia 7-0-2; PIERRE,Delicia 7-2-0; NEELY,Rakaya 6-0-3;
  HUDSON,Destiny 3-0-0; ORTIZ-ROSADO,Hazel 2-0-2; DAVIE,Ajsha 1-1-0;
  BENNETT,Alexuas 0-1-0; ROLON-SOTO,Normarie 0-1-0; Totals 37-5-5.0.
  (Assists) - ORTIZ-ROSADO,Hazel 17. (Dig leaders) - PIERRE,Delicia 11;
  DAVIE,Ajsha 8
 
  Savannah State (0-18, 0-1 MEAC) (Kills-aces-blocks) - GALLON,Ayree
  5-0-0; MASOE,Caitlynn 4-0-0; LYLE,Christian 4-0-0; TAM,Makayla 3-1-1;
  OFODILE,Chinenye 3-0-0; JONES,Jademone 2-0-0; NATHANIEL,Gabrielle
  2-0-1; Totals 23-1-1.0. (Assists) - MASOE,Caitlynn 15. (Dig leaders) -
  WASHINGTON,Alexis 10; LITTLEJOHN,Briana 7
 
  Site: Savannah, Ga. (Willcox-Wiley Gym)
  Date: Sep 25, 2015   Attend: 117   Time: 1:20   
  Referees:
 
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