MONTGOMERY, Ala. | Alabama State (15-15, 12-3 SWAC) rebounded in their return home to take the first of their final two games with a 3-1 win over Bethune-Cookman inside the Dunn-Oliver Acadome on Friday evening.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• In their second matchup of the season against Bethune-Cookman, the Hornets found themselves in a tight battle in the first set that included 11 ties and two lead changes.
• The two teams traded blows throughout the set, with Alabama State going up 7-4 early after the second kill from Alexis Ratliff (Atlanta, Ga.) before a response from Bethune-Cookman to fine the game tied at 10-10 and eventually taking a slight edge.
• The Hornets tied the game again at 14-14 before going up two points off a Wildcat error, however found themselves tied for the final time at 21-21 moments later.
• On the next rally, junior Amaya Finley (Stockton, Calif.) regained the lead for Alabama State with a score assisted by setter McKenzie Boland (Stockbridge, Ga.) to spark a 4-1 run to close out the set with a 25-22 win.
• Alabama State came out strong to start the second, jumping out to a 9-4 lead before Bethune-Cookman reduced the lead to five.
• The Hornets extended their lead to double digits at 19-9 moments later after a kill from Kalysia Bates (Phenix City, Ala.) followed by an error from the Wildcats.
• Bethune-Cookman made one more comeback attempt, reducing the lead to single digits at 23-16, however Alabama State took set two by a score of 25-16.
• Alabama State got out to an early lead again in the third with a 6-0 lead to force an early timeout from Bethune-Cookman.
• Out of the break, the Wildcats recovered to tie the game at 13-13, and went on to control the rest of the set and take the 25-19 win to avoid the sweep.
• The fourth set was a tight one to start, with the teas remaining within three points of each other over the first 15 points and finding themselves tied later at 11-11.
• Following another tied score at 12-12, the Hornets took a lead after another kill from Ratliff and did not trail for the remainder of the match, taking the set 25-18 to close out the win.

GAME NOTES

• The Hornet had four players with double-digit kills on the night, led by Finley with a season-high 18 kills to go along with four digs, three aces and an assist for 21 points. Bates finished with 15 kills and four digs, while Jada Rhodes (Tallahassee, Fla.) finished with a double-double of 13 kills and a season-high 22 digs and Ratliff finished with 11 kills and two digs on the day.
• Boland led all setters finishing with 30 assists to go along with six digs, while Madison Beaesley (Gilbert, Ariz.) finished with 20 assists and two digs.
• Along with Rhodes, Emersen Belles also recorded a season-high 31 digs to go with four assists and two aces.

UP NEXT
Alabama State will close out the regular season with a match against Florida A&M to celebrate senior day, with a 6 pm match inside the Dunn-Oliver Acadome.

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