WASHINGTON | The Alabama A&M University women's volleyball team (2-5) fell to the American University Eagles (6-0). 3-1 (18-25, 25-12, 13-25, 12-25) the final match of the Maryland Invitational.
Senior Saldy Amparo-Smith led the team with 17 kills and eight digs, hitting at an .259%. Junior Bailey Duckett was also a key standout for the Bulldogs, killing 10 balls, blocking four and hitting .250%. Fatima Ramirez was the team's second highest scorer, hitting at a .289 killing nine balls and tallying three aces and three blocks.
The Bulldogs had their best hitting percentage in the first set at .280%, but kept the eagles to just a .114% in the second frame.
Set One
The Bulldogs would get off to a slow start, as the Eagles would take a 5-1 lead. Two bulldog kills and a service ace would put AAMU within two at 9-7. The Bulldogs would cut the score to just one, until the American would nab three straight going into the media timeout, 11-15. Ramirez would notch a kill and her first service ace directly out of the timeout, but the AU would respond with five unanswered points. The Maroon and White would capitalize on three American errors, and tally two more kills, but it would not be enough, as an ace and a trio of terminations would give the Eagles the first set, 25-18.
Set Two
Alabama A&M would take their first lead of the match at 5-4 in the second frame, thanks to a service ace from Ramirez. The Eagles would claim three straight balls to claim the lead at 7-5. The Bulldogs would remain within two for several of the next points, but two AU errors and a trio of kills from Amparo-Smith and Duckett would put AAMU ahead, 13-11 and prompt and American timeout. The Bulldogs would score three more, but the Eagles went on a run of their own, scoring five straight points to gain a one-point advantage, 16-17, prompting an AAMU timeout. Both teams would battle to the finish, but a late 4-0 run would take Alabama A&M to set point. The Eagles would withstand the first set point, but a service error would secure the frame for the Bulldogs, 25-21.
Set Three
The third set was that of runs for AU, as they rook an early lead from a 4-0 run at 5-1. AAMU would cut the lead to two, but an ace and two kills would force a Bulldog timeout at 9-4, with the Eagles ahead. American would claim five of the next seven balls to extend their lead, 6-14. Both Amparo-Smith and Ramirez would tally two more terminations, and senior Michell Jerez notched an ace, but ultimately, American University would win the set, 25-13.
Set Four
The fourth set would start with the Eagles claiming 11 of the first 14 balls. Ramirez, Amparo-Smith, and Duckett would all terminate the ball, but the AU went on another 5-0 run to prompt an AAMU timeout at 6-17. The Maroon and White tallied two more points, but a pair of AAMU errors and a pair of American aces put them within three of the match. The Bulldogs would fight back, scoring four more points, but a final kill from AU would solidify their victory, 25-12.
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