AUGUSTA, Ga.- The Savannah State University volleyball team won their first match of the season by taking down Paine College in straight sets, in a match played Tuesday evening at the Paine HEAL Complex.

SSU won the opening set of the non-conference match 25-14 and followed with wins of 25-17 and 25-12 in the next two sets.

The Lady Tigers found themselves down 1-4 in the first set but rallied to tie the set at 6-6. Paine led by two but a 5-0 run put SSU ahead 12-9. Savannah State led 17-14 and finished the set with eight unanswered points to earn the win.

Paine led by two in the second set before Savannah State scored six straight points to go ahead 14-10. The Lions got within 14-13 before SSU answered with three points to increase their lead to 17-13. A mini run by Paine cut Savannah State's lead to 17-16 but the Lady Tigers ended the set with a 8-1 surge to get the victory.

SSU started the third set with seven straight points. They increased their advantage to 9-1 and later went ahead 15-3. Leading 19-8, Savannah State used a 4-0 spurt to increase their lead to 23-8. Paine put together three unanswered points before SSU ended the set with a kill by Amiyah Walker.

The trip to Augusta was a homecoming for Connelly Smith and Nyalah Smith who both played at Lakeside High School.

Connelly Smith played in two sets and finished with three kills, a block and a dig while Nyalah Smith saw action in all three sets and had seven kills and one dig.

Aniyah Parks just missed a double-double, finishing with 13 assists and nine digs. 

Savannah Everett led SSU with eight kills, Mina Ezikpe had two blocks, Amiyah Walker had 10 assists while Kira Raby, Aaliyah Saunders and Parks all had two aces.

Savannah State (1-2) will return to Tiger Arena on September 11 to face Brewton-Parker Christian University at 6 p.m.
 

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