FORT VALLEY, Ga. – The Benedict College Lady Tigers used several big runs and served 16 aces to take a 3-1 victory over Fort Valley State in a SIAC women's volleyball match on Friday night.
 
Benedict won the match 25-21, 23-25, 25-19, 25-17 to improve to 2-0 on the season and 1-0 in the SIAC. Fort Valley State falls to 3-2 overall and 1-2 in the SIAC.
 
Cana Smith led the Lady Tigers with 12 kills, while Kaiah Green added 10 kills. Benedict had 16 service aces in the match, led by Willow Alls with six, while Desire' Young had four. Alls had a team-high 23 assists, while Jadyn Murry had 13 assists. La'Jai Wilson had 25 digs to lead the defense.
 
Benedict trailed 19-13 in the first set before their first large run of the night, scoring nine straight points to take a 22-19 lead. Fort Valley cut the lead to 22-21, but the Lady Tigers closed out the set with a kill from Green and a pair of Lady Wildcat errors.
 
Fort Valley State built a 23-19 lead in the second set, but Benedict scored the next four points to tie the score. The Lady Wildcats clinched the set on a kill and a Benedict attack error.
 
Benedict jumped out to an early 9-2 lead in the third set after scoring eight straight points. The lead grew to 21-11 before Fort Valley State staged a late rally, scoring seven of the next eight points to cut the lead to 22-18. Benedict was able to close out the set on a pair of Lady Wildcat errors.
 
The Lady Tigers used a 7-0 run in the fourth set to take a 16-8 lead. A kill by Smith gave Benedict match point.
 
The Lady Tigers return home for a pair of matches next week, hosting Savannah State on Monday at 7 p.m., then taking on Johnson C. Smith in a non-conference matchup on Tuesday at 6 p.m.