SAVANNAH, Ga. — After losing a close first set, the Lady Tigers rallied to beat Brewton-Parker 3-1, nabbing their first victory of the 2019 season.

SSU was fierce at the net, racking up 9.0 team blocks and 16 block assists. Ellana Nellis led the Lady Tigers with a season-high 6 blocks. On offense, Jeilynn Brown led SSU with a season-high 12 kills.

Deep into the opening set, SSU moved to within a point, 20-21, behind a kill from Brown. Moments later, an error from Brewton-Parker tied the set at 22. Mackenzie Carter recorded a kill and SSU notched an error to push the Lady Barons to a 24-22 lead.

Out of a timeout, SSU held on behind a Brewton-Parker error and a service ace from Brown that tied the set at 24. Brown followed the ace with an error and Makayla Lovelace hammered down a kill to give the visitors a 26-24 win and a 1-0 lead in the game.

Savannah State came out firing in the second set with a quick 5-0 lead behind some stellar serving from De'Antoine Rodriguez. The Lady Barons fired back with two services aces from Marina Dennis.

Brewton-Parker tied the match at 12, but SSU stretched out ahead behind a 4-0 run and then a giant 9-0 run that gave them a 24-14 lead. Ashely Arbogast recorded a service ace for the Lady Barons and then followed it with a service error to give SSU the set win and tie the match at 1-1.

The Lady Tigers and Lady Barons continued the fight into the pivotal third set, staying neck and through the first 20 points. SSU sealed up a lead behind four exceptional serves from Valeria Aldarondo and kills from Rodriguez, Nellis, and Jedaiah Daniels. SSU took a 2-1 lead winning the third set 25-20.

The Lady Barons opened the fourth set strong, taking an early 10-7 lead and forcing SSU to take a timeout. Later, SSU took a 14-13 lead behind a service ace from Daniels. Grace Hunter answered with a kill for the Lady Barons, tying the set at 14.

SSU pulled away with a 3-0 run and never again relinquished the lead down the final stretch. Brown recorded the final point of the match giving SSU a 25-20 win behind a kill with an assist from Jamese Scott.


Tiger Bites

*The Lady Tigers last win came against S.C. State on Oct. 28, 2018. They beat the Lady Bulldogs 3-1 in Orangeburg, S.C.

*SSU's last win in Willcox-Wiley was on Nov. 12, 2017 when they beat S.C. State 3-2.

*This is interim head coach Roselidah Obunaga's first win as a head coach at SSU. Obunaga took over for Edric Poitier in the off season.