MONTGOMERY, Ala.  – Junior outside hitter Ayree Gallon and junior right side hitter Jennifer Rosado led the Savannah State University women's volleyball team with four kills each, while the Lady Tigers (0-1) dropped their season opener 3-0 (14-25, 23-25, 12-25) against host Alabama State University (1-0) Friday at the MEAC/SWAC Challenge in Lockhart Gymnasium.
 
Senior setter Alee Quint led the team with nine assists, while freshman setter Salma Gonzalez added seven assists and four digs.  Freshman libero Leiri Melendez led the team with five digs, while freshman outside hitter Amanda Rullan Vilanova added three kills and four digs and junior middle blocker Charlinda Colbert added three kills with a .750 hitting percentage.
 
Alabama State scored five of the first seven points in the first set to take a 5-2 lead, but a kill from Gallon cut the lead to two, 5-3.  The Hornets scored the next five points to take a seven-point lead, 10-3, and outscored the Lady Tigers 15-11 during the rest of the set to win the set and to take a 1-0 match lead.
 
The Hornets scored three of the first four points in the second stanza for a 3-1 lead, but the Lady Tigers scored the next two points to tie it at three.  Alabama State scored seven of the next 10 points to take a four-point lead, 10-6, but Savannah State scored the next three points to close within a point, 10-9. 
 
ASU scored the next four points to increase the lead to five points, 14-9.  With the ASU lead still at five, 17-12, the Lady Tigers scored the next seven points to take a two-point lead, 19-17, that feature two service aces from Rosado forcing an Alabama State timeout.  After the timeout, the Hornets outscored SSU 8-4 during the rest of the set to win the set and to take a 2-0 match lead heading into intermission.
 
The final frame was close early as neither team had a two-point lead until Alabama State recorded back-to-back points to lead by two points, 7-5.  The Hornets scored the next five points to increase the lead to seven points, 13-5, and outscored SSU 12-7 during the rest of the set to win the set and the match.
 
The Hornets were led by Ni'yesha Brown with 18 kills and a .571 hitting percentage, Krysta Medearis with nine kills, Kori Kutsch with 17 assists, Justus Tuiolosega with 15 assists and Bayle' Bennett with 10 digs.
 
 Short Box Score (Match)
2017 Savannah State Volleyball
Savannah State vs Alabama State (Aug 25, 2017 at Montgomery, Ala.)
 
  Alabama State def. Savannah State 25-14,25-23,25-12
 
  Savannah State (0-1) (Kills-aces-blocks) - GALLON,Ayree 4-0-2;
  ROSADO,JENNIFER 4-2-0; COLBERT,Charlinda 3-0-0; RULLAN VILANOVA,AMAN
  3-0-0; CHENAULT,TYRAN 2-0-2; FULLER,Oneillia 2-0-0; JONES,Jademone
  1-0-0; SANFORD,Brooke 1-0-0; GONZALEZ,Salma 0-1-0; MELENDEZ,Leiri
  0-1-0; Totals 20-4-2.0. (Assists) - . (Dig leaders) - MELENDEZ,Leiri
  5; GONZALEZ,Salma 4
 
  Alabama State (1-0) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Ni'yesha Brown 18-1-1;
  Krysta Medearis 9-0-2; Payten Clark 5-0-4; Briana Dorsey 2-1-3; Bayle'
  Bennett 2-1-1; Candace Martin 1-0-2; Brittany Brown 1-0-0; Kayla
  Torres 0-0-1; Asha Daniels 0-1-0; Totals 38-4-9.0. (Assists) - Kori
  Kutsch 17; Justus Tuiolosega 15. (Dig leaders) - Bayle' Bennett 10;
  Ni'yesha Brown 4
 
  Site: Montgomery, Ala. (Lockhart Gymnasium)
  Date: Aug 25, 2017   Attend: 402   Time: 1:23   
  Referees: Clyde Cross, Wesley Radigan
 
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