ORLANDO, Fla. | Alabama State dropped its final game of the UCF Challenge to Central Florida 3-0 (25-12, 25-19, 25-16) on Sunday afternoon, the final of six consecutive road matches to open the 2023 season.
Madison Beasley led Alabama State with 13 kills, giving her 41 for the weekend and making her just the seventh player in school history to record 1,500 career assists.
Jylen Whitten led the Lady Hornets with nine kills and four service aces, while
A'Nylah Cobb added seven kills.
Emily Brooks added nine assists and a pair of service aces.
Temperance Chatman led the team with nine digs.
How It Happened
SET 1 | Alabama State fell behind early as UCF (6-1) scored six of the first seven points of the set, before a service error allowed the Lady Hornets to get to within 5-2. The two teams traded points until UCF scored back-to-back points to take an 8-3 lead. Following a kill from
Christyn Ashby for Alabama State, UCF went on the first of two 4-0 runs to push the lead out before winning the set with its second 4-0 run of the set.
SET 2 | After following behind 4-3 early in the set, Alabama State went on a 3-0 run highlighted by a Brooks' ace and kills from Whitten and Cobb to take a 6-3 lead. After UCF tied the set at 6-all, Alabama State went on another 3-0 run highlighted by a pair of Whitten service aces to grab a 9-6 lead. The two teams traded points and following a Whitten kill that pushed the lead to 15-12, UCF went on a 5-0 run to take a 17-15 lead. The Lady Hornets got to within 18-17 before UCF scored seven of the last nine points to a two-set lead.
SET 3 | UCF took a 3-1 lead before they pushed the lead to 8-1 following five consecutive points before Alabama State used an error to pull within 8-2. The Knights went on another run, scoring five of the next six points to take a 13-3 lead. The Lady Hornets were able to get to within seven at 20-13 on a Brooks' ace before UCF went on a 4-0 run to take a 24-13 lead. Alabama State went on a 3-0 run late to pull within 24-16 using a kill and service ace from Whitten before UCF put the match away.
Up Next
Alabama State returns to action on Tuesday night in its home opener against North Alabama inside Lockhart Gymnasium. The match is scheduled to start at 6 pm.
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