COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Benedict College Lady Tigers volleyball team won their third match in a row and snapped Claflin University's seven-match winning streak with a 3-1 victory over the Lady Panthers Thursday night in the Benjamin E. Mayes Human Resource Center Arena.
Junior outside hitter LaTayvia Mack closed out the thrilling match of four close games in front of a loud crowd with a kill. The Lady Tigers won 25-21, 25-21, 18-25, 25-22 and had to come back from deficits in each of the games they won.
Benedict improves to 3-1 overall and 2-0 in SIAC play. Claflin drops to 7-4 overall and 2-1 in the SIAC.
Mack finished with 21 kills and hit .356. Lorena Leao added 13 kills. Ashley Jackson had 37 assists and 11 digs, while Tyrealle Reed added 16 digs.
Benedict trailed 15-11 in game one before going on a 6-2 run to take an 18-17 lead, with Leao scoring on a pair of blocks in that run. Leao scored a kill to put the Lady Tigers up 21-18, but the Lady Panthers closed the gap to 22-21. Mack sealed game one with a kill for the 25-22 victory.
Benedict fell behind 14-7 in the second game before the Lady Tigers staged another rally. Back-to-back aces by Leao and three kills by Mack tied the game at 17. A kill by Tatyana Robinson gave Benedict a 21-20 lead. An ace by Jackson, and two kills by Leao closed out the second game for a 25-21 victory.
Claflin took control of the third game, taking an early 9-3 lead. Benedict closed within 15-12, but then the Lady Panthers went on a 7-1 run to take a 22-13 lead and held on for the 25-18 win.
The fourth game was a back-and-forth affair, with Claflin taking 10-7 and 12-9 leads. A kill by Robinson tied the game at 13, and Benedict regained the lead 15-14 on a kill by Mack. Claflin came back to tie the game at 21, but the Lady Tigers scored the next two points on a kills by Mack and Reed. Claflin scored to make it 24-22, but Mack then spiked a kill for the final point.
Lauren Calvin had 15 kills to lead Claflin, while Lydia Wise added 14 kills. Katherin Fischer had 40 assits.
“I'm proud of the girls. They kept their composure and just fought back when we were down,” said Benedict coach Gwen Rouse. “That third game we were out of synch all-around. Then we were able to adjust to their height with our quickness.”
A near-capacity crowd witnessed the match, and Rouse said the vocal support of the student body was important in the victory.
“It was a good overall match for both teams. I think we broke a record for attendance. For anybody that didn't come, they missed a treat.”
Benedict and Claflin will both be in action starting Wednesday at the SIAC Crossover Tournament hosted by Kentucky State in Frankfort, Ky. Benedict opens the tournament against Stillman at 10 a.m. on Thursday.
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