TUSCALOOSA, ALA.  – The Alabama State women's volleyball team fought competitively at times and pushed two deeper sets before losing at Alabama 3-0 (25-18, 25-12, 25-22) on Tuesday night at Foster Auditorium. 

Alabama State (6-11) was led by freshman Kimeko Bennett, who had six kills on 13 total attacks. 

Alabama (7-8) was led by Krystal Rivers, who had 10 kills. 

Brittany Thomas had nine kills and Kat Hutson had eight kills.

The teams nearly committed the same amount of total team errors (18 by ASU and 17 by Alabama) in the match, but the Tide was able to put down more than double the amount of team kills (45-21).

ASU had more total team blocks, however, holding a 10-5 edge in that department.
  
The Lady Hornets had their best chances to take a set in the first and third. 

In the first, ASU kept the Tide's lead within striking distance as K. Bennett went cross court for a kill while Myla Marshall and Rachel Smith combined for a block to cut the lead to 15-10.
 
Tiara Kelley made her 2015 debut after missing the opening 16 matches. 
 
The senior, a one-time All-SWAC First Team selection, is expected to give the Lady Hornets lineup a charge. 

Kelley had 515 career kills in 74 matches over the prior two seasons at ASU. 

Kelley came in with some good energy, coming up with a spike for a kill in the early part of the first set. 

Sophomore Briana Dorsey came off the bench and provided quick back-to back points on a dump and a tipped block to make it 15-13.

Kelley, Amber Bennett and K. Bennett each had two kills apiece in the opening set, but Alabama prevailed 25-18. 

ASU had an error-filled second set that cost their chances to stay in it and fell 25-12. 

There were some thrilling moments in the third set for ASU.

The Lady Hornets took a 4-2 lead on a Marshall spike and a couple of 'Bama miscues on Marshall's serve. 

Marshall tied it at 16 with a tipped block that found some open floor, whipping the ASU fan base contingent, whom made the trip to Tuscaloosa, into a frenzy. 

Marshall finished with three kills, tied a game-high with four blocks and registered an ace. 

It stayed tight down the stretch as the Lady Hornets threatened to take the lead late. 

Kelley and Dorsey put up a wall and made the block to cut the deficit to 21-19. 

The Tide had trouble with the next serve from Kori Kutsch to inch within 21-20.

K. Bennett drilled a kill to draw within 23-21, but ASU eventually dropped the third and final set 25-22.

Next, the Lady Hornets will hit the road to travel to Huntsville to play at Alabama A&M on Friday at 7 p.m. for a conference match.

#GOHORNETS#