MONTGOMERY, ALA.  – It's 18 straight and counting.

The Alabama State women's volleyball team took care of business by defeating Mississippi Valley State 3-0 (25-22, 25-13, 25-23) to extend their conference winning streak to 18 consecutive matches on Saturday evening at Lockhart Gymnasium. 

Alabama State (6-10, 2-0 SWAC) hasn't lost a conference game since Nov. 10, 2012, when it lost to the Devilettes in five sets. 

Chelsey Scott dropped a season-high 15 kills, Rachel Smith collected her sixth double-double of the season with 10 kills and 11 digs and Myla Marshall finished with 10 kills.

Riley MacDonald and Kori Kutsch nearly split the assists down the middle as MacDonald had 22 while Kutsch poured in 20. 

After dropping the first two points of the first set, ASU took seven consecutive points to take a 7-2 lead behind a Scott kill and the serving of Brittany Brown, who delivered an ace during the run. 

The teams practically traded points for the balance of the set.  

Valley inched within two of the lead at 23-21 when it took four of five points. 

But, Candace Martin and Amber Bennett teamed together for a block and Smith put down a spike to prevail 25-22. 

In set two, three early kills by A. Bennett gave ASU a 6-2 lead. 

The Lady Hornets stretched their lead when Riley MacDonald set up Smith for a couple kills to make it 17-10. 

ASU reeled off five straight on bookend kills by Briana Dorsey and a series of Devilettes attack errors to go up 23-10.

Back-to-back kills by A. Bennett and Scott on feeds from Kori Kutsch put away Valley St. 25-13.

Valley regrouped and put forth a good fight in the third set, taking a 22-21 lead on a kill by Cynthia Richardson. 

ASU responded by taking the lead back at 23-22 with kills by Smith and Scott to force a Valley time out.

Locked at 23 after an ASU attacking error, A. Bennett threw down a spike and Valley committed another attacking error give ASU the set 25-23 and the match 3-0.
 
The Devilettes (1-14, 0-1 SWAC) were led by Halle Gayten, who had nine kills on a .471 hitting percentage. 

Next, the Lady Hornets will hit the road to Tuscaloosa to play at Alabama on Tuesday at 7 p.m.

The match will be streamed on the SEC+ network.   

#GOHORNETS#