The Alabama State volleyball team won both Friday matches on day one of the ISTAP Collegiate Cup Tournament at the Dunn-Oliver Acadome.
 
The Lady Hornets rallied to beat the University of New Orleans 3-1 (23-25, 25-17, 25-21, 25-23) and swept Arkansas-Pine Bluff 3-0 (25-14, 29-27, 25-18).
 
"I think the girls are getting better," Alabama State head volleyball coach Penny Lucas-White said. "I really believe every time we get on the court, we are getting better. We still are learning from our mistakes, and still are committing service errors. I love our tenacious spirit, and the way we fight. I think it was great to play everyone today, as I believe we are that deep. It's fun to watch them play."
 
In other matches on Friday, Jacksonville State also went 2-0 with victories over Savannah State (3-0; 25-5, 25-14, 25-21) and Arkansas-Pine Bluff (3-0; 25-14, 25-12, 25-6), and New Orleans defeated Savannah State 3-1 (25-15, 22-25, 25-17, 25-16).
 
The tournament resumes Saturday with Jacksonville State playing New Orleans at 11 a.m., Savannah State playing UAPB at 1 p.m., Alabama State facing Jacksonville State at 3 p.m., New Orleans facing Arkansas-Pine Bluff at 5 p.m., and Alabama State hosting Savannah State at 7 p.m.
 
LADY HORNETS 3, New Orleans 1: After losing the opening game, Alabama State won the final three games to defeat the pesky Lady Privateers.
 
Amber Bennett, the reigning SWAC Defensive Player of the Week, had 23 kills, while Tiara Kelley added 15. Brooke Beasley and Ellyn Jones added 25 and 23 assists, respectively, and Luiza Griz had 12 digs in the victory.
 
"UNO would not go away," Lucas-White said. "They passed the ball extremely well, and they showed up well. Amber had a great match, but we needed a little bit more production from our other players. We pressed through and were victorious, where last year I think last year we wouldn't have had the same result."
 
The Lady Hornets never trailed in the second game, taking leads of 5-1 and 11-4. UNO rallied to cut its margin to two at 15-13, but Alabama State scored 10 of the final 14 points to even the match.
 
In the final two games of the set, there were five ties and two lead changes. In the pivotal game three, Alabama State eventually pulled away to an eight point lead at 20-12 en route to the win.
 
In the final game, the Lady Hornets led by as many as five at 17-12. However, UNO would not go away quietly, rallying to tie the game for the final time at 21-21 before ASU scored four of the final six points for the win.
 
LADY HORNETS 3, UAPB 0: Alabama State swept the Golden Lions for the second time this season.
 
After comfortably winning the opening game, game two was perhaps the best of the day, featuring nine ties and five lead changes. The Lady Hornets trailed most of the middle game, taking their first lead at 17-16. From that point, there were seven ties and four lead changes. Alabama State rallied from 23-21 and 26-25 deficits to win. ASU never trailed in the deciding game.
Bennett had 18 kills to lead the Lady Hornets, who got 22 assists and nine digs from Jones, 15 assists and 11 kills from Beasley, and 17 digs from Griz.
 
"It's hard to beat a team multiple times in a season," Lucas-White said of UAPB, whom Alabama State defeated in the opening match of the season two weeks ago in the Central Florida Tournament. "They're getting better as well. It was good for us to have Chelsey Scott (three kills, eight digs) on the floor. We were missing a big banger on the outside. She is so physical, and I thought that made the difference outside for us."
 
Jacksonville State 3, Savannah State 0: Jacksonville State set the tone for its match with a dominant game one victory en route to its sweep.
 
Kacy Clinkenbeard led JSU with eight kills, while Abbey Heredia added 18 assists. Bianca Brochu led SSU with five kills.
 
Jacksonville State 3, UAPB 0: JSU (4-6) again rolled in its second game of the day, with just two lead changes and four ties.
 
Nicole Merget had 12 kills, while Heredia added 25 assists.
 
New Orleans 3, Savannah State 1: After splitting the first two games, UNO (1-9) won the final two games and the match.
 
Marti Richmiller had 11 kills, and Cara Sander added 10 for the Lady Privateers, while Celeste Ramirez added 30 assists. Christian Lyle added 11 kills, and Brochu 10 for SSU (0-10), which also got 33 assists from Caitlynn Masoe.

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