BIRMINGHAM, Ala.  – Writing off the Alabama State volleyball team to leave a match early is proving to be regrettable decision. 

The Lady Hornets stormed back yet again for another compelling five-set victory after dropping the opening two sets by shocking host UAB  3-2 (13-25, 20-25, 25-23, 25-23, 15-9) Tuesday night at Bartow Gymnasium.

It marked ASU's  10^th win in their previous 11 matches and third time in its past six matches in which it won in five sets after losing the opening two sets. 

The Lady Hornets (16-13) appeared flat in the first set and moderately more competitive in the second set before pulling off the energetic comeback that included an individual milestone, a career high for a defensive player and an all-around team effort.

Senior Rachel Smith broke the 1,000 career kills plateau with her seventh of the night and finished with nine kills and 13 digs.

Jamie Coleman set a career-high with 27 digs, sporting quick reflexes and leadership on the back line with her alert play. 

Up front, Amber Bennett was fierce, providing a spark as she came up with several big plays and ended up with a team-high 14 kills. 

Assuming main setter's role, Kori Kutsch had 34 assists and 15 digs.

The third set was pivotal in many ways as ASU had demonstrated a lot more confidence.

Through 16 ties and seven lead changes, ASU survived. 

After trading the lead back and forth, Kutch set up Marshall for a kill and A. Bennett put down a block to give ASU a 17-16 advantage. 

Lorena Rosario came up big with a pair of kills down the stretch and Smith finished it off with a kill that deflected off the UAB block and out of bounds as ASU took the set 25-23. 

The teams traded points for the early part of the fourth set and were locked at eight. 

Smith notched career kill 1,000 on a shot that found the middle of the floor between two players on the back line to cut the lead to 16-14. 

With the teams tied at 22-22,  Amy Hunter gave UAB a temporary lead with a kill. 

ASU answered right back as A. Bennett and Smith combined for a block, an UAB attacking error sailed out of bounds and  A. Bennett closed it with a kill for the 25-23 win. 

In the deciding fifth set, ASU went up 6-5 on an A. Bennett kill.

Smith slipped for a moment, regained her footing and received the pass for a kill to make it 8-6. 

A. Bennett fired a kill, and an UAB attack error made it 10-7.

Alabama State closed it as Smith notched an ace and UAB committed a series of errors. 

It didn't look like ASU was on their way to a win in the opening two sets. 

However, ASU started much better in the second set when Smith and Brittany Brown each put down a kill to grab a 4-1 lead. 

Hunter and Gabby Deshotel helped the Blazers get ahead with an 8-5 advantage.

But, ASU was able to tie it at 8 behind the serving of Brown. 

Attack errors hurt ASU as the team fell behind 17-10. 

But, the Lady Hornets struck back with six consecutive points on a kill by Rosario, two kills by A. Bennett, two UAB attack errors, and an ace by Rosario to get within 17-16. 

That's as close as they would the rest of the set as the Blazers answered back with five straight points of their own capped by two aces from Young to push ahead 22-16. 

UAB took the set 25-20.

In the first set, ASU had difficulty covering floor space with clean digs and trailed 9-3 when the first time out was called. 

The UAB front line of Hunter (6-foot-2), freshman Victoria Young (6-foot-1) and junior Kassidy Sullivan (6 foot) was effective in combining for 14 kills in the opening set. 

Myla Marshall had some solid hits in the set, compiling three kills, while Kutsch led with four assists and Coleman had seven digs. 

UAB (9-22) was led by Deshotel, who had a game-high 21 kills and 14 digs. 

Hunter finished with 12 kills and Young had eight kills.

Next, ASU will travel to play at Mississippi Valley State on Friday at 7 p.m. and at Alcorn State on Saturday at 6 p.m. for the final two matches of the regular season. 

Both matches will count toward the conference standings.    

#GOHORNETS#