TALLAHASSEE, Fla. | Rayishon Jackson posted a double-double and
Fatima Ramirez recorded 16 kills as the Alabama A&M University volleyball team cruised into the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Volleyball Tournament Semifinals with a 3-1 victory over Bethune-Cookman in the tourney quarterfinals on Friday afternoon at the Al Lawson Center.
Alabama A&M (19-11), the fifth seed, advances to Saturday's semifinal matchup against Florida A&M. The Rattlers, the tourney's eighth seed, upset top-seeded Prairie View A&M in the quarterfinals, 3-1, to earn a spot in the semifinals. First serve against Florida A&M is set for 1 p.m. (central) at the Al Lawson Center and streamed on SWAC TV.
Alabama A&M started slow, trailing 8-2 in the opening set, but rallied for the 25-21 win but Bethune-Cookman stormed back to capture the second set, 26-24. The Bulldogs bounced back in the third, 25-18, and won the match in the fourth, 25-18.
Alabama A&M finished with 62 kills, 73 digs, 56 assists, 9.0 total team blocks and eight service aces.
Jackman registered 18 kills and 10 digs, while Ramirez added 16 kills and five digs.
Briana Smith and
Kaydee Smith dished out 31 and 17 assists, respectively. Defensively,
Kelani Talakai added a team-high 25 digs, while
Briana Smith chipped in 10 digs for the double-double.
Bethune-Cookman finished with 47 kills, 64 digs, 45 assists, 14.0 total team blocks and three service aces.
Shayla Henry tallied 11 kills and three digs, while Amya Jennings added 14 digs and 10 kills for the double-double. Nola Hemphill handed out 15 assists and Sthefany Carvalho posted 14 digs.
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