Carbondale, Ill. – Alabama State dropped a heartbreaking 3-2 (25-16, 25-20, 21-25, 14-25, 8-15) decision to Southern Illinois in non-conference volleyball action at the Saluki Invitational on Saturday afternoon.
The Lady Hornets (3-7) fought hard the first three sets, taking a 2-1 lead but the Salukis (5-5) battled back over the final two sets to keep Alabama State at bay and earn the come-from-behind win.
Senior
Bayle' Bennett posted her fourth consecutive double double with 13 kills and a career-high tying 19 digs. In the beginning of the third set, Bennett recorded her eighth kill of the match allowing her to break the program record of 1,069 kills set by Rachel Smith (2012-15).
Bennett's 1,070th Career Kill
Senior
Krysta Medearis tallied a game-high 15 kills with a .263 hitting percentage. Medearis landed on the Saluki Invitational All-Tournament Team after posting 39 kills, 10 blocks and eight digs over the weekend. Junior
McKenzie Boland racked up a season-high 24 assists while four Lady Hornets tallied double digit digs in Bennett (19), freshman
Madison Beasley (14), freshman
Emersen Belles (13) and sophomore
Morgan Freeman (12).
Additionally, Beasley had 21 assists in the contest to record her second double double of the season.
Set One (Alabama State 25, Southern Illinois 16)
Alabama State controlled the momentum for the entire set, gaining a nine-point lead at 14-5 and never looked back. The Lady Hornets hit .343 with 16 kills and only four errors. Medearis led the way with a set-high five kills on a .500 hitting percentage. Bennett finished the set with three kills and six digs while Beasley posted two service aces.
Set Two (Alabama State 25, Southern Illinois 20)
Set two was a battle from the beginning as there were 11 ties and seven lead changes. Alabama State was able to hold on to its late lead and secure the win with a kill by junior
E'laisah Young. Medearis finished the set with six kills while junior
Taira Cottingham posted four.
Set Three (Alabama State 21, Southern Illinois 25)
The Lady Hornets began the set slowly and despite catching up to tie it at 12-all, Alabama State was unable to hold off the Salukis in the third. SIU posted 14 kills in the set with 13 digs. Sophomore
Taryn King racked up three kills in the set.
Set Four (Alabama State 14, Southern Illinois 25)
Alabama State could not get into any offensive rhythm as it was held to only eight kills while committing eight errors. Southern Illinois racked up 14 kills and a .242 hitting percentage to knot the set score at 2-2.
Set Five (Alabama State 8, Southern Illinois 15)
Once again the Lady Hornets struggled offensively, only tallying four kills while making four errors. The Salukis hit .364 with 11 kills to claim the fifth set and the victory.
Up Next
Alabama State will return home on Tuesday when it welcomes in-state foe South Alabama to Lockhart Gymnasium at 7 p.m.
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