TALLAHASSEE, Fla.  – Freshman setter Salma Gonzalez led Savannah State University women's volleyball team with nine kills and added eight assists and seven digs as the Lady Tigers (3-22, 1-7 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) fell to Florida A&M University (9-11, 6-1 MEAC) 3-1 (13-25, 19-25, 26-24, 14-25) Sunday in Al Lawson Center.
 
Freshman middle blocker Oneillia Fuller added seven kills, while freshman outside hitter Amanda Rullan Vilanova, freshman middle blocker Tyran Chenault and freshman outside hitter Brooke Sanford each added six kills.  Rullan Vilanova led the team with three service aces, while Sanford added five digs.
 
Senior setter Alee Quint led the team with 21 assists, while freshman libero Leiri Melendez added seven digs.  Senior outside hitter Jademone Jones added three kills and two digs.
 
Florida A&M scored six of the first seven points in the first set to take a five-point lead, 6-1, but Savannah State bounced back scoring five of the next six points to close within a point, 7-6.  FAMU outscored SSU 18-7 during the test of the set to win the set and to take a 1-0 match lead.
 
Savannah State scored 11 of the first 17 points in the second frame to take a five-point lead, 11-6, but Florida A&M scored 12 of the next 16 points to close within a point, 15-14.  The Lady Tigers scored back-to-back points after a Fuller kill and a service ace by Rullan Vilanova to give SSU a three-point lead, 17-14.  FAMU outscored SSU 11-2 during the rest of the set to win the set and to take a 2-0 lead.
 
The Rattlers scored seven of the first eight points in the third stanza to take a six-point lead, 7-1, but Savannah State chipped away by scoring 14 of the next 25 points to close within three points, 18-15.  Florida A&M scored four of the next five points to increase its lead to eight points, 22-16, but the Lady Tigers scored the next five points to close within a point, 22-21.  After both teams scored two points to keep a FAMU lead at 24-23, Savannah State scored the final three points to win the set and to cut the match lead to 2-1.   
 
Florida A&M scored 14 of the first 20 points in the final set to take an eight-point lead, 14-6, but Savannah State scored the next four points to cut the lead to four points, 14-10, and to force a Rattler timeout.  After the timeout, FAMU outscored SSU 11-4 during the rest of the set to win the set and the match.
 
The Rattlers were led by Maria Yvette Garcia with 15 kills, Valeria with 41 assists and Valentina Carrasco with 19 digs.
 
The Lady Tigers return home to face North Carolina A&T State University Friday at 6 p.m. in Tiger Arena as part of Tiger Week and as a doubleheader with the men's basketball team as SSU faces Paine College at 8 p.m.
 
Short Box Score (Match)
2017 Savannah State Volleyball
Savannah State vs Florida A&M (Oct 29, 2017 at Tallahassee, Fla.)
 
Florida A&M def. Savannah State 25-13,25-19,24-26,25-14
 
  Savannah State (3-22, 1-7 MEAC) (Kills-aces-blocks) - GONZALEZ,Salma
  9-1-0; FULLER,Oneillia 7-0-0; RULLAN VILANOVA,Aman 6-3-1;
  CHENAULT,Tyran 6-0-2; SANFORD,Brooke 6-1-0; JONES,Jademone 3-0-1;
  QUINT,Alee 0-1-0; Totals 37-6-3.0. (Assists) - QUINT,Alee 21. (Dig
  leaders) - GONZALEZ,Salma 7; MELENDEZ,Leiri 7
 
  Florida A&M (9-11, 6-1 MEAC) (Kills-aces-blocks) - GARCIA,Maria Yvette
  15-1-0; DIMITROVA,Radka 10-2-0; CANESSA,Nair 9-1-0; HERRERA,Candelaria
  8-3-4; KOCABIYIK,Aybuke 7-0-0; LOPEZ,Valeria 3-1-0; CARRASCO,Valentina
  0-1-0; Totals 52-9-4.0. (Assists) - LOPEZ,Valeria 41. (Dig leaders) -
  CARRASCO,Valentina 19; DIMITROVA,Radka 8
 
  Site: Tallahassee, Fla. (Al Lawson Center)
  Date: Oct 29, 2017   Attend: 107   Time: 1:41   
  Referees: Helen Kelchner, Harry Walker
 
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