THE HILL | The Bulldog volleyball team (5-19, 3-9 SWAC) fell 3-0 to the Florida A&M Rattlers (21-6, 13-0 SWAC) on Sunday. AAMU was paced by Fatima Ramirez who totaled 10 kills, nine digs, and four aces. Grace Tapscott recorded 16 assists while Saniya Spalding led the front row defense, with four blocks.  

Florida A&M's offense was led by Iyonnie Sanford's 10 kills. Brooke Lynn Watts totaled 11 digs, while Makenzie Taylor recorded 20 assists. The Rattlers remain undefeated in conference play.  

Set One-  

The first set started with errors on both sides of the ball to level the match early. Nissan Martinez tallied her first kill of the match before FAMU recorded three straight terminations to take a 4-2 lead. The Bulldogs tied the score again, but the Rattlers recorded four more kills to prompt a Bulldog timeout at 8-4. Out of the timeout, Martinez pounded a ball to an open middle court and Ramirez recorded another termination to lessen the Rattler lead. FAMU claimed seven of the next eight points to force another Maroon and White stoppage. Madison Raybon recorded her first kill of the match, but Florida A&M went on a 5-0 run to bring the match within three. Ramirez recorded two more kills, but FAMU eventually claimed the set, 25-11.  

Set Two-  

The Bulldogs found a spark in the second frame, going on an 8-0 run to take an 8-2 lead. FAMU claimed four of the next five points to reduce the Bulldog lead to three AT 9-6. Each team tallied three points before AAMU called a timeout. Each team traded points before FAMU went on a 4-0 run to tie the match 21-21. A trio of kills from Duckett and Ramirez brought the Bulldogs to set point, but the Rattlers capitalized off AAMU errors to tie the match and prompt a Bulldog timeout. The score leveled again at 25-25 before an AAMU bad set and attack error gave FAMU the set. 27-25.  

Set Three-  

The third stanza was a battle, with the score tying six times before the Rattlers took a 9-6 lead causing a AAMU stoppage. The Rattlers ballooned their lead to five and the Bulldogs were never able to catch up, losing the set, and the match, 25-16.  

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