THE BASICS
Alabama A&M 3, Prairie View 1
Alabama A&M (14-20)
Prairie View (10-19)

JACKSON, MISS.--- Senior Ashundria McNeal had 23 kills while sophomore Jaelin Gant added 11 as fourth-seeded Alabama A&M University advanced to the semifinals of the 2016 SWAC Volleyball Championship with a four-set win over fifth-seeded Prairie View A&M on Friday.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Junior Riley Balsmeyer collected 35 assists and four digs as the Lady Bulldogs (14-20) won the first two sets (25-23,25-16), dropped the third set (26-24) before coming back to take the final set 25-19. The win moves AAMU into Saturday's semifinals where they will face first-seeded Alabama State in Jackson, Miss. at 1:00 pm.

Alabama A&M opened the first set with a 8-5 lead before Prairie View responded back with a 8-0 run. Trailing 17-15, two McNeal kills and a set error from Prairie View allowed the Lady Bulldogs to regain the lead. The set was up for grabs at 21-21 before Gant and McNeal created a momentum shift with two kills each. A Prairie View attack error allowed the Maroon & White to take a 23-21 lead.  Both teams traded points before a McNeal Kill helped AAMU square the match with a 25-23 victory.

The back-and-fourth continued in the second set before AAMU took a 15-10 lead forcing a Prairie View timeout. After the timeout, the Lady Bulldogs continued to attack with a 7-4 run taking an eight point lead and forcing another Prairie View timeout.  Following the timeout, a Gant kill and a Lady Panthers attack error gave the Lady Bulldogs a 25-16 win to close out the second set.

In the third set, the Lady Bulldogs grabbed an early 17-8 lead before Prairie View eased their way back to trade points with AAMU. Tied at 24, two ball-handling errors by AAMU gave the Lady Panthers the 26-24 win forcing a fourth set.

In the final set, AAMU started off strong with a 5-1 lead. The Lady Panthers answered with a 7-2 run to tie the match at 8. Both teams traded points before McNeal and Terra Brooks recorded two kills each in a four point run to extend the Lady Bulldogs lead to 17-15. With the Lady Panthers trailing 19-21, McNeal got a kill on the next serve followed by a Nina Biggs service ace to take a 23-19 lead. Prairie View committed two ball-handling errors to allow the Lady Bulldogs to close out the match with the 25-19 victory.

STATS FOR THE GAME