Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
Senior Ellyn Jones got on a roll behind the service line and just kept going, and going, and going until the Alabama State women's volleyball team had accumulated a 17-point advantage to begin the match against Mississippi Valley State in the opener of the Coach Denu Southern Invitational on Friday morning in Baton Rouge, La. at Cliford Seymour Gym.

Jones finished with a team-high 22 assists, a career-high nine service aces and five digs to lead ASU to a convincing 3-0 (25-2, 25-14, 25-12) victory.  It marks the second time in six days that it defeated the Devilettes in straight sets. 

In the late afternoon match, ASU topped Southern University 3-0 (25-13, 25-21, 25-22) behind another high team hitting percentage of .368. Both matches did not count towards the SWAC standings. 

ASU (10-15 overall, 4-0 SWAC) did win its sixth consecutive match though and has yet to lose a set in the month of October.  The team has won all 18 sets. 

Jones, who entered ranked 38^th in NCAA Division I volleyball in service aces and the ace leader in the SWAC, reeled off six aces during the first set against MSVU and ASU zipped through the opening set in a flash 25-2.  By far, it was the lowest amount of points allowed in any set this season for the Lady Hornets.  The previous low was 11 points allowed in the third set at Alcorn State on Oct. 10. 

The two points is the lowest amount of points in a set that ASU has allowed in coach Lucas-White's four-year tenure with the Lady Hornets.  The prior lowest total was four points allowed in a set against Stillman College last October. 

"I don't think that I have ever seen that," said coach Lucas-White, who has coached and played for a combined 25 seasons.

After a dominating first set, Alabama State had to fight a lot more in the second set.  The Lady Hornets held a slim 14-12 advantage.  Then, Jones came up to serve again and the Devilettes had problems solving her once again.  Jones reeled off six more service points as ASU pulled away for a 25-14 set win. 

In the third set, it was setter Brooke Beasley who got into a nice flow as she connected 10 straight service points and guided ASU to a 25-12 win. 

"Coach gave me some zones to hit,"  Jones said. "But after the first six points, she let me go and said 'just serve.'  So I just served where I wanted and looked at some strategic places to hit."  

Rachel Smith had 10 kills and nine digs.  Marshall had eight kills on a .467 hitting percentage with five blocks. Marshall entered into the 600 club for career kills with the effort.
Rosario had eight kills (.545 hitting percentage) while Briana Dorsey added five kills (.400 hitting percentage). 

The Devilettes (2-18 overall, 0-4 SWAC) were led by Halle Gayten, who had a four kills, five digs and a block. 

In game two, the Lady Hornets started with another very strong first set by opening with a team hitting percentage of over .400.   It continued that trend through the second set with sound play from Marshall and Scott.  Southern led 13-9 in the third set, but ASU was able to fight back. 

Marshall had 11 kills on a season-high .714 hitting percentage to reach the double-digit plateau in kills for the sixth time this season.  Scott had nine kills (.500 hitting percentage) and Kelley had seven kills on a .333 mark.  Jones had 18 assists and Beasley added 14 helpers. 

Melodie Malone had 10 kills to lead the Jaguars (7-11).  

Alabama State will now have 11 days off before playing at Jacksonville State on Tuesday, Oct. 28 at 7 p.m. 

#GOHORNETS#