SAVANNAH, Ga.  – Freshman middle blocker Oneillia Fuller led Savannah State University women's volleyball team with 12 kills as the Lady Tigers (2-14, 0-2 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) fell to Florida A&M University (5-9, 2-0 MEAC) 3-2 (16-25, 25-15, 21-25, 25-10, 15-12) in Willcox-Wiley Gymnasium Sunday.
 
Fuller added a .360 hitting percentage and a block, while senior setter Alee Quint led the team with 20 assists and freshman libero Leiri Melendez led the team with 22 digs, which is tied for the second most in school history for a five-setter and tied for fourth most in any set.
 
Junior outside hitter Jennifer Rosado added nine kills with a .238 hitting percentage, while freshman setter Salma Gonzalez added four kills, 12 assists and seven digs and freshman outside hitter Amanda Rullan Vilanova added six kills and nine digs.
 
Savannah State scored four of the first five points to take a three-point lead, 4-1, in the first set and with the lead still at three points, 8-5, the Lady Tigers scored the next four points to increase their lead to seven points, 12-5.  SSU outscored FAMU 17-11 during the rest of the set to win the set by nine points and to take a 1-0 match lead.
 
Florida A&M scored nine of the first 12 points to take a six-point lead, 9-3, in the second stanza, but the Lady Tigers scored back-to-back points to cut the lead to four points, 9-5.  The Rattlers outscored Savannah State 14-10 during the rest of the set to win the set by 10 points and to tie the match at one.
 
The Rattlers scored eight of the first 13 points to take a three-point lead, 8-5, in the third frame, but Savannah State scored seven of the next 11 points to cut the lead to a point, 12-11.  Florida A&M scored five of the next six points to increase its lead to five points, 17-12, but the Lady Tigers scored seven of the next nine points to tie the set at 19.  After a FAMU kill for a point lead, 20-19, SSU scored the next four points to take a three-point lead, 23-20.  After another Rattler point to cut the lead to two points, 24-21, Savannah State scored the last two points, ending with Rullan Vilanova kill to give SSU a four-point set win and to take a 2-1 match lead.
 
FAMU scored 19 of the first 26 points in the fourth set to take a 19-6 lead, but back-to-back points by the Lady Tigers cut the lead to 19-8.  The Rattlers outscored SSU 6-2 during the rest of the set to win the set by 15 points and to tie the match at two.
 
Florida A&M scored 10 of the first 14 points to take a six-point lead, 10-4, but Savannah State scored the next three points to cut the lead to three points, 10-7.  The Rattlers scored three of the next four points to increase their lead to five points, 13-8, but the Lady Tigers scored the next four points to cut the lead to a point, 13-12.  FAMU scored the final two points to win the set by three points and to win the match.
 
The Rattlers were led by Maria Yvette Garcia with 17 kills, Ilayda Nurkan with 43 assists and Valentina Carrasco with 22 digs. 
 
The Lady Tigers start a three-match roadstand starting with Mercer University Wednesday at 6 p.m. in Macon, Ga., before traveling to North Carolina for two matches with North Carolina A&T State University (8-9, 1-0 MEAC) Friday at 7 p.m. in Greensboro and North Carolina Central University (0-12, 0-1 MEAC) Sunday at 1 p.m. in Durham.
 
Short Box Score (Match)
2017 Savannah State Volleyball
Florida A&M vs Savannah State (Oct 01, 2017 at Savannah, Ga.)
 
Florida A&M def. Savannah State 16-25,25-15,21-25,25-10,15-12
 
  Florida A&M (5-9, 2-0 MEAC) (Kills-aces-blocks) - GARCIA,Maria Yvette
  17-0-3; HERRERA,Candelaria 15-2-6; DIMITROVA,Radka 9-0-3; CANESSA,Nair
  8-3-2; SORIANO,Pamela 4-0-0; NURKAN,Ilayda 2-1-1; KOCABIYIK,Aybuke
  2-0-3; Totals 57-6-10.0. (Assists) - NURKAN,Ilayda 43. (Dig leaders) -
  CARRASCO,Valentina 22; SORIANO,Pamela 12
 
  Savannah State (2-14, 0-2 MEAC) (Kills-aces-blocks) - FULLER,Oneillia
  12-0-1; ROSADO,Jennifer 9-0-1; RULLAN VILANOVA,Aman 6-0-2;
  CHENAULT,Tyran 5-0-2; GONZALEZ,Salma 4-1-0; COLBERT,Charlinda 2-0-0;
  JONES,Jademone 1-0-0; QUINT,Alee 1-1-0; SANFORD,Brooke 1-1-0;
  ROBBINS,Chara 0-1-0; Totals 41-4-3.0. (Assists) - QUINT,Alee 20;
  GONZALEZ,Salma 12. (Dig leaders) - MELENDEZ,Leiri 22; RULLAN
  VILANOVA,Aman 9
 
  Site: Savannah, Ga. (Willcox-Wiley Gym)
  Date: Oct 01, 2017   Attend: 197   Time: 2:14   
  Referees: Morgan Shannon, Kirsten Boessneck
 
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