Montgomery, Ala. – Alabama State returns to Lockhart Gymnasium for a pair of Southwestern Athletic Conference volleyball matches on Sunday and Monday nights.
 
The Lady Hornets will face Alcorn State at 5 p.m. on Sunday before battling with Mississippi Valley State on Monday at 7 p.m. Both games will have live stats and be live streamed on Facebook Live.
 
Alabama State (4-16, 1-4 SWAC) is coming off a hard-fought 3-2 (25-16, 17-25, 21-25, 25-21, 11-15) loss against Southern Miss on Wednesday night in Hattiesburg. Trailing two sets to one, the Lady Hornets rattled off five straight points to claim the fourth set to force a deciding fifth set.
 
Alabama State was unable to hold off the Golden Eagles and fell late in the final stanza. In the match, four Lady Hornets racked up double digit kills in seniors Krysta Medearis (18, game high) and Bayle' Bennett (11) and juniors Taira Cottingham (11) and E'laisah Young (11). Bennett added a career-high 20 digs to record her team-leading ninth double double of the season.
 
On the season, Bennett leads the way offensively with 235 total kills averaging 3.13 per set. Additionally, the senior is second on the team in digs with 203 (2.71/set). Junior E'laisah Young boasts as an all-around threat with 124 kills on a .308 hitting percentage alongside a team-high 47 blocks (11 solos), 38 digs and eight service aces.
 
Defensively, freshman Emersen Belles leads the team with 246 digs averaging 3.28 digs per set while leading the team in service aces with 18. Freshman Madison Beasley paces the offense with 407 assists (5.43/set).
 
Scouting Alcorn State
Alcorn State is coming off a 3-0 (15-25, 24-26, 21-25) loss to Wiley College on Tuesday night in Lorman, Miss., to fall to 3-12 on the season. In SWAC play, the Lady Braves finished the SWAC West Roundup with a 1-4 record.
 
In the match against Wiley, Sydney Joseph led the way with a game-high 10 kills alongside six digs. Wanya Morris and Singryd Valadares followed behind with nine kills apiece. Melinda Perrilloux posted a team-high 12 digs while Jasmine Chambers paced the offense with 20 assists.
 
On the season, Joseph leads the team with 103 kills averaging 2.10 per set. Chambers boasts team highs in service aces (14) and assists (314, 6.16/set). Defensively, Fiapaipai Iosia has 183 digs (3.81/set) and Simone Barren tallied 32 blocks (six solos).
 
Scouting Mississippi Valley State
Mississippi Valley State is coming off a 0-5 weekend at the SWAC West Roundup falling in its last match against Southern 3-1 (10-25, 23-25, 25-23, 19-25) to move to 3-18 (0-5 SWAC) on the season. The Devilettes will take on Alabama A&M on Sunday prior to making the trip to Montgomery.
 
Against Southern, Tylia Dixon (nine kills, 14 digs) and Tyler Caliste (eight kills, nine digs) both nearly posted double doubles. Zion Hardy led the way with 30 assists while Jessica Bell recorded 17 digs.
 
On the season, Caliste leads the way with 125 kills averaging 2.12 per set alongside 142 assists (2.41/set), second-highest on the team. Ariana Austin boasts a team-high 163 assists (4.94/set) while Bell paces the team with 176 digs averaging 2.79 per set.
 
Chardea Berthelot is a threat on both ends of the ball as she leads the team in blocks with 31 (five solos) and services aces with 18.
 
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