Alabama State University Athletics

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. | Alabama State dropped a 3-1 decision to Southern before sweeping Prairie View A&M to end the day on Sunday in the Al Lawson Center.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

GAME ONE

• The opening set was a battle, with teams tying 12 times and seeing seven total lead changes throughout the frame.
• After earning a slight lead to start, an error from the Hornets tied the score at 5-5 and the two teams stayed within a point of each other until two Jaguar aces to put them up 15-13.
• After a called timeout, a four-point swing gave Alabama State a 17-15 lead and did not trail for the remainder of the set, winning by a score of 25-23.
• Southern started strong in the second, going up 3-1 early before the Hornets recovered with a run to take a 7-5 advantage.
• With the score tied at 9-9, the Jaguars scored twice to gain a 16-14 lead, forcing a Hornet timeout.
• Alabama State recovered out of the break, with a run to tie the game at 21-21 concluded by a kill from Mahogany Vinson (Richton Park, Ill.) followed by an ace Logan Horne (Montgomery, Ala.) however, Southern went on to take the set 25-22.
• The Hornets started the third with a 4-1 lead after McKenzie Boland (Stockbridge, Ga.) earned an ace to open play, while Alexis Ratliff (Atlanta, Ga.) added two kills followed by a Jaguar error.
• Southern battled back with a run, tying the ball game at ten before taking a 13-11 lead to force an Alabama State timeout.
• The Jaguars continued to control the momentum after the break, and eventually took the third by a score of 25-16.
• The fourth set began as a tight contest with neither gaining a multiple point lead until a run from Alabama State ending with a kill and block assist from Jada Rhodes (Tallahassee, Fla.) to go up 13-11.
• After a response from Southern to take a 17-14 advantage, the Hornets regained control on a run to tie the ball game at 23-23, however fell in the fourth by a final score of 28-26.

GAME TWO

• In their second game of the day, Alabama State jumped out to an early lead before a response by Prairie View to force a Hornet timeout.
• Trailing 10-7 out of the break, the Hornets went on a run sparked by six Panther errors to give Alabama State the lead at 18-15.
• The lead change would prove to be the last one of the set with Horne earning a service ace to finalize the score at 25-19.
• The Hornets dominated the second set after kills from Kalysia Bates (Phenix City, Ala.) and Rhodes started a 10-1 run to open play.
• After a small run from Southern, Alabama State continued their strong play to take a double-digit lead at 20-10 before taking the set 25-13.
• Southern responded in the third, taking a 7-2 lead early to force the first Hornet timeout of the set.
• The Hornets reduced the gap to two points out of the break and continued to fight back and eventually took a 14-13 lead after consecutive kills from Ratliff assisted by Madison Beasley (Gilbert, Ariz.), the final lead change as Alabama State took the set by a score of 25-19 to win the match.

MATCH NOTES

• Ratliff led the Hornets offensively in both games on the day, logging 30 kills and two blocks on the day, while both Bates and Vinson added 19 kills over the two matches.
• Rhodes continued her balanced play, recording 15 kills and 24 digs on the day, including a team-high 15 dig, three block performance against Prairie View.
• Horne led Alabama State defensively, logging 28 digs along with adding seven assists and four aces, while Boland recorded 42 assists and four aces.
• Alabama State extends their lead on the series over Prairie View under Coach Penny Lucas-White to 18-4 since 2011.

UP NEXT
Alabama State (5-14) will conclude the SWAC Cluster on Monday with a match against Alcorn State, scheduled for 11 am (EST), also in the Al Lawson Center.

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