THE HILL | Despite a valiant effort, the Alabama A&M University volleyball team (2-1) would fall to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (3-1),in 3-0 straight sets (25-17, 25-19, 35-14) in the final match of the Betty K. Austin Invitational.
Senior Fatima Ramirez would lead the team with 11 kills, with Bailey Duckett contributing seven. The Mocs were paced by duo Breanah Rives and Chard'e Vanzandt, with 36 kills between the two.
The Bulldogs will travel just some 55 miles Northwest to take on the North Alabama Lions on Tuesday at 3 p.m.
Set One
The Alabama A&M Bulldogs started strong, matching Chattanooga point for point early on. Tolbert delivered two quick kills, keeping the score tied at 2-2. The Bulldogs capitalized on attack errors by Chattanooga to pull ahead 4-2, but Chattanooga quickly responded, leveling the score at 4-4. AAMU would notch a service ace by Grace Tapscott and key kills by Madison Raybon and Duckett, but the Mocs would begin to dominate, winning eight of the next 10 points. The bulldogs would lessen the UT Chattanooga lead to two, but a pair of near 5-0 runs would push the Mocs near the finish. Alabama A&M would go on a late run of their own, scoring four unanswered points, but it would not be enough, as a trio of kills and an AAMU error would solidify the first set in favor of the Mocs.
Set Two
Eager for redemption, the Bulldogs secured a slim yet vital early lead in the second set, buoyed by a balanced offense, including seven kills and two aces to put AAMU ahead by two at 12-10. The Mocs would not allow the lead for long, winning seven of the next nine balls. The Bulldogs would battle once again to cut the lead to one, but a near-consecutive series of well-timed kills allowed Chattanooga to surge within a pair of the set, and back-to-back service aces from Caiti Barthel would secure UT Chattanooga's victory at 25-19.
Set Three
The Alabama A&M Bulldogs faced the beginning of an uphill battle as they sought to turn the tide and salvage the match. Both teams would trade points to tie the frame at 4-4, but the Mocs would go on yet another extended run, adding eight straight points to their tally. Three Bulldog terminations, including one from junior Kemora Coachman, would help AAMU to find their footing, but yet another UTC run would give the Mocs their largest lead of the match at 18-8. Ramirez would attempt to counter UT Chattanooga's momentum, slamming three more balls to the floor, but back-to-back Chattanooga kills secured the 25-14 victory in the set and sealed their 3-0 match win.
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