Box Score
All week, the Alabama State women's volleyball team took a cue from their coach Penny Lucas-White and meditated on how important the looming conference schedule was going to be beginning against SWAC foe Alabama A&M. 

On Friday night, the Lady Hornets delivered in their conference opener at Lockhart Gymnasium with a 3-0 (25-16, 25-18, 25-19) win versus the Lady Bulldogs. 
It was Chelsey Scott who carried the Lady Hornets early, Amber Bennett during the middle parts of the match, an all-around team effort throughout and Tiara Kelley roaring down the stretch as the team hit a superb .386 hitting percentage for the duration. 

In pregame warm ups, ASU (5-15 overall, 1-0 SWAC) appeared revitalized and ready to play from the onset.  The team was vocal, energetic and seemingly loose on the surface. 

When the match began, those characteristics didn't relent. 

"The team practiced with purpose this past week and it showed up in the match tonight," said fourth-year coach Lucas-White.  "And, I thought our setters spread the ball really well."

Brooke Beasley had a team-high 22 assists and Ellyn Jones collected 12 assists.  Five Lady Hornets' players had at least six kills.  Kelley put up a season-high 13 kills, Bennett had seven while Myla Marshall, Rachel Smith and Chelsey Scott each had six apiece. 

Scott got off to scorching hot start as the junior from Enterprise, Ala. connected for five kills on her first five total attacks and added a block as ASU carried on for a rather comfortable 25-16 first set win. 

After the teams were tied at four apiece, Alabama State won six of the following seven points to create a little separation. 

Juniors Kyanna Sales and Savannah Blackiston, two of Alabama A&M's most consistent playmakers this season, helped the Lady Bulldogs stay competitive by picking up four kills apiece in the set. 

But ASU kept up their accuracy with a team hitting percentage of .379. 

In the second set, A&M (5-14 overall, 0-1 SWAC) stayed within striking distance further in the match as it trailed just 11-9 at one point.

Bennett began to find her groove as the Baton Rouge, La. native swung for three kills in a four-point stretch for ASU.  However, A&M was able to tie at 16 all on a Sales spike. 
The Lady Hornets stiffened their defense and kept their errors at a low rate.  The Lady Bulldogs committed three attack errors, Smith came up with a kill and a ball-handling error to put ASU back on top at 21-16. 

Kelley closed out a 25-18 second set victory with a thumping kill. 

The third set played out much like the second set with Alabama State holding a 12-8 advantage at the first time stoppage of the set.  Kelley and Marshall swapped turns at throwing down spikes to help build a six-point advantage. 

ASU's Smith and A&M's Blackiston went tick for tack by exchanging aces for their team as ASU held a 19-15 lead. 

Lorena Rosario came up with kill, Beasley registered an ace and Kelley fired another kill to push ASU down the stretch.  Kelley soared for two more emphatic smashes to put away the last set for a 25-19 third set victory. 

Blackiston had 10 kills and Sales had eight kills to lead A&M.  

Alabama State will now head to the state of Mississippi to take on SWAC opponents Jackson State Thursday at 7 p.m., Alcorn State Friday at 6 p.m. and Mississippi Valley State next Saturday, October 11 at 1 p.m.

#GOHORNETS#