HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Alabama A&M (3-16, 2-2 SWAC) could not keep up with defending Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Tournament Champion Florida A&M (5-11, 2-0 SWAC) as they dropped a 3-0 (25-14, 25-18, 25-17) in an NCAA Division I women's volleyball match on Monday, October 3.
The Rattlers left no doubt early on as they scored the first seven points of the match on their way to a commanding 18-4 lead. A&M would then get their bearings and close to within 19-10 behind a 6-1 run but would get no closer as FAMU polished off the 25-14 opening set victory.
Game 2 would be far more competitive as the clubs battled through three ties and two lead changes before the Bulldogs settled on a 14-11 lead. It would be short lived, however, as rattled off seven straight as part of a devastating 13-2 run that took them from down three to up 24-16. A&M would manage a pair of points before surrendering a set-ending kill to Aja Jones to put Florida A&M up 2-0 in the match.
It would be another tightly contested frame in the third set as the teams were separated by no more than two points as Alabama A&M managed a narrow 6-5 lead. FAMU would then return to their dominant ways with an 11-3 burst that gave them a 16-9 lead. From there the teams would be just about even but that would mean that the Bulldogs would not make a dent in that lead as they fell 25-17 to close the 3-0 decision.
Freshman setter
Grace Tapscott (Hartselle, Ala.) led A&M with 18 assists and eight digs while freshman middle blocker
Madison Reagins (Duncanville, Texas) delivered a solo block and four block assists to go with her three kills. Freshman middle blocker
Kemora Coachman (Harvest, Ala.) rounded out the top performances with seven kills and five block assists.
FAMU produced four in double-digit kills, that group being led by Dominique Washington with 10 kills and 15 digs. She was joined by Emerald Jacobs with 11 kills, Brooke Lynn Watts with 10 and six digs and Jones with 10 kills. Irem Ucar had a match-high 37 assists and Brooke Hudson led with 16 digs.
The Bulldogs remain home as they host the SWAC Pod from October 9-10, playing three of the nine matches that will be held in Elmore Gymnasium. Action will kick off at 9 a.m. on both days with the Bulldogs facing Prairie View at 9 a.m. and Grambling at 7 p.m. on the opening day. They will then wrap with a 1 p.m. outing against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Monday, October 10.
