BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Benedict College volleyball team opened play in the 2016 SIAC Volleyball Championship with a 3-1 victory over Tuskegee University on Wednesday morning in the Birmingham CrossPlex.

Benedict took the match 25-20, 25-17, 18-25, 25-23 to improve to 15-12 overall. Benedict advances to face top-seed Claflin at 8 p.m. Wednesday. Claflin beat Miles in an opening-round match.

Aaliyah Lawson and V'Aira Harris each had a double-double. Lawson led the way with 15 kills and 13 digs, while Harris had 13 kills and 13 digs. Brianne McMillian had 30 assists.

Benedict used a late 4-0 run in the first set to take a 19-15 lead. Lawson also had a kill for set point.

Six straight points by Benedict in the second set, including an ace my Majda Cisic, gave Benedict a 16-6 lead. Harris recorded the final point of the set with a kill.

A nine-point run by Tuskegee in the third set gave the Golden Tigers a 14-7 lead. Benedict later cut the lead to 17-15, but Tuskegee pulled away at the end to clinch the set.

Tuskegee had a 20-15 lead in the fourth set, but Benedict rallied with four straight points to cut the lead to one point. After a Tuskegee point, Benedict tied the set at 21 on kills by Lawson and Harris. Benedict took its first lead of the set on a Tuskegee attack error, and then Harris followed with a kill for a 24-22 lead. After a Tuskegee point, Harris clinched the match with a kill.

Tuskegee, 12-18, will face Miles in an elimination match at 5 p.m.