BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Benedict College Lady Tigers opened the 2014 SIAC Volleyball Championship tournament with a 3-0 victory over Stillman College on Monday afternoon at the Birmingham Crossplex.

The Lady Tigers took a 25-17, 25-22, 25-15 victory to improve to 16-10 on the season. Benedict will face Kentucky State at noon on Tuesday in a winner's bracket matchup.

Jocolby Brown led the Lady Tigers with nine kills and hit .692 with no errors on 13 attacks. Lorena Leao added eight kills and had six digs and three service aces. LaPromise Boone had 17 assists and four digs, while Je'Nae Saunders added 13 assists and five digs.

Stillman falls to 12-13 on the season and will face Clark Atlanta at 10 a.m. on Tuesday in a loser bracket contest.

In the first set, Benedict was leading 8-6 when the Lady Tigers scored four straight points, including an ace from Kelsey Green for a 12-6 lead. Stillman cut the lead to 14-10 before Benedict scored the next five points, getting a kill from Brown, while Stillman made four attack errors. For the match, Stillman committed 25 attack errors and hit -.045.

Benedict clinched the first set on a kill by Brown.

The second set was more competitive, as Stillman led several times early, including 13-10. Benedict came back to tie the set at 14-14 on a kill by Arneshia Parrish. Stillman scored the next three points to take a 17-14 lead.

With Stillman leading 18-15, Benedict scored six straight points to take a 21-18 lead. Stillman cut the lead to 23-22, but the Lady Tigers got a kill from Leao, then Leao closed out the set with an ace.

Benedict jumped out to an early 11-3 lead in the third set. Benedict had a 24-12 lead, but Stillman would not go out without a fight and scored the next three points. The Lady Tigers closed out the match on a Stillman error.