BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Kentucky State University advanced to the championship round of the 2014 SIAC Volleyball Championship with a 3-1 victory over Benedict College on Wednesday afternoon at the Birmingham CrossPlex.

The Lady Tigers finish the season at 18-12 and finished in third place at the SIAC Tournament.

Benedict scored the final three points of a close first set to win 28-26, but then Kentucky State won the next three, 25-18, 25-15, 25-20.

Jocolby Brown continued her strong play in the tournament with a team-high 11 kills and also had three blocks. Aaliyah Lawson had 10 kills. Je'Nae Saunders had 11 digs and LaPromise Boone had 37 assists.

Kentucky State's Latosha Scott led the Thorobrettes with 21 kills, while Emily Grieshaber, the SIAC Player of the Year, had 20 kills. Anjelique Kyle had 50 assists.

Kentucky State dropped to the loser's bracket with a five-set loss to Claflin in the morning matchup. Kentucky State advanced to the championship and a rematch with Claflin.

Benedict jumped to an early 5-1 lead, although Kentucky State quickly rallied and tied the score at 6-6. The set stayed close the rest of the way. Kentucky State pulled ahead 22-20 on a Benedict block error and a kill, but Benedict scored the next two points to tie the score.

The Thorobrettes scored the next two points for a 24-22 lead, but the Lady Tigers fought back, getting kills by Brown and Tatyana Robinson to tie the score at 24. After a Kentucky State point, Robinson got another kill to make it 25-25. Kentucky State scored the next point for a 26-25 lead, but Benedict tied it again on a kill by Lawson. An attack error by Kentucky State's Grieshaber gave Benedict a one-point lead, and Lorena Leao closed out the set with a kill.

Benedict scored the first five points of the second set, but Kentucky State rallied to tie the set at 7-7. Kentucky State was leading 17-15 when the Thorobrettes scored four straight points for a 21-15 lead and went on to take the 25-18 win.

The third set was tied 10-10 when Kentucky State scored five straight points for a 15-10 lead. Benedict cut the lead to 16-13, but the Thorobrettes scored three straight points for a 19-13 lead and went on to take the set 25-15 by scoring the final three points.

The fourth set was closer, with Benedict trailing 21-20 after a kill by Arneshia Parrish, but Kentucky State scored the next four points to close out the match.