COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Benedict College men's volleyball team scored the final three points of a marathon match to defeat Fort Valley State 3-2 in a SIAC contest on Friday night in the Benjamin E. Mays HRC Arena.
 
The Tigers won the first two sets (25-22, 25-22) before the Wildcats came back to take the next two sets (26-24, 25-14) forcing a deciding fifth set. Benedict went on a five-point run to take a 13-12 lead, then traded points with the Wildcats before scoring three consecutive points to win 21-19.
 
Benedict improves to 8-6 overall and 5-3 in the SIAC. Fort Valley State falls to 5-15 overall and 2-2 in the SIAC.
 
Ras Jesse Delancy led the Tigers with 36 kills, including eight in the crucial fifth set. Zion Beckford added a season-high 13 kills. Kendersley Marcellin had a career-high 50 assists. Clint Forbes had 15 digs, while Terran Walkin added 13 digs.
 
Benedict pulled away from a 22-22 tie in the first set to score the next three points on a Fort Valley error, a kill by Delancy, and an ace by Beckford. Benedict had a 21-16 lead in the second set before the Wildcats scored the next three points to make it 21-19. The two teams traded points until Donovan Wilmott closed the set with a kill. The third set was close again, with the scored tied at 24-24. The Wildcats scored the next two points on two Benedict attack errors, to win the set.
 
After Fort Valley State easily won the fourth set, the match went to the fifth set. The Wildcats had a 12-8 lead before the Tigers scored the next five points for a 13-12 lead. The set was tied at 15-15, and needing to win by two points, the two teams traded points with the Wildcats holding a 19-18 lead. The Tigers tied the score on a kill by Beckford. A Fort Valley attack error gave Benedict a one-point lead, then another Wildcat attack error gave Benedict the final point to win the match.
 
Benedict travels to Jacksonville on Saturday to take on Edward Waters at 2 p.m.