HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – For the second straight match, Alabama A&M (4-18, 3-4 SWAC) went the distance, falling 3-2 to Arkansas-Pine Bluff (6-14, 4-3 SWAC) by scores of 20-25, 25-23, 25-22, 19-25, 15-4 in the finale of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Round Up and an NCAA Division I women's volleyball match on Monday, October 10.
UAPB pulled ahead 6-4 early in the opening frame before the Bulldogs answered with a 6-0 run to flip the script and pull ahead 10-6. It would continue to be a game of runs as the Golden Lions scored four of the next five to cut it to one, followed by four more from A&M to land at 15-10. Another 4-1 burst by Arkansas-Pine Bluff got them to within 16-14 but that would be as close as they would get as a 9-6 stretch closed out the Game 1 victory at 25-20 for Alabama A&M.
The Golden Lions would control the second set over the first 32 points, taking a 19-13 lead before the Bulldogs came all the way back with a 9-2 run to pull ahead 22-21. From there it would be all UAPB, however, as they once again took four of the next five points, this time to close out the game at 25-23 and knot the match at 1-1.
Game 3 would be a back-and-forth affair as Arkansas-Pine Bluff built a 17-9 lead only to see it get cut to 20-17 behind the force of an 8-3 run. The Golden Lions took three of the next four followed by three straight from A&M to hold a narrow 23-21 advantage. UAPB then took two of the next three to hold on for a hard-fought 25-22 decision and go up 2-1 in the match.
Deadlocked at 10-10 in Game 4, the residents of The Hill would notch consecutive scores for a two-point advantage before the visitors from The Bluff asserted their will with a 6-1 run that left them with a 16-13 lead. At that point, Alabama A&M took complete control as they put together a massive 12-3 stretch that included the set-clinching 5-0 run in what would be a 25-19 win.
As commanding as the Bulldogs were in the second half of that frame, it would be UAPB's turn in the decisive fifth set. That would be a game that would see them give no quarter and pound their way to an unquestionable 15-4 victory in the set and a 3-2 decision in the match.
Freshman outside hitters
Bailey Duckett (Huntsville, Ala.) and
Caitlin Shaw (Desoto, Texas) led the offense with 13 and 12 kills, respectively. They were followed closely by freshman setter
Grace Tapscott (Hartselle, Ala.) with a match-high 37 assists along with six digs and freshman middle blocker
Kemora Coachman (Harvest, Ala.) notched a double-double with 10 kills and 12 digs.
Freshman libero
Tammy Melendez Mondragon (Pelham, Ala.) led the defense with 17 digs and freshman middle blocker
Madison Reagins (Duncanville, Texas) posted a solid all-around effort, finishing with six kills, three service aces and five digs.
Zykia Jones just missed a double-double for the Golden Lions with 11 kills and nine digs and Laila Fortson finished with 12 kills and six digs. Fernanda Spengler led the offense with 15 kills and Kori Diego and Ragin Williams each added 10 kills. Breana August anchored the defense with 18 digs.
Alabama A&M closes non-conference play with a trip to Chattanooga on Sunday, October 16. First serve is set for 2 p.m. Central Standard Time.
