COLUMBIA, S.C. – Defending SIAC champion Edward Waters took a 3-0 victory over Benedict College in a SIAC men's volleyball contest on Friday night in the Benjamin E. Mays HRC Arena.
 
Edward Waters won the match 25-13, 25-19, 29-27 to improve to 4-5 overall and 1-0 in the SIAC. Benedict falls to 0-9 overall and 0-2 in the SIAC.
 
Marlon Belizaire had a career-high nine kills, while hitting .350, to lead the Benedict offense. Six of his kills came in the second set as the Tigers stayed close for the first half of the set, trailing 10-9 before Edward Waters scored five of the next six points for a 15-10 lead. Benedict got as close as 21-17, and the two teams traded points before Edward Waters closed the set with a pair of Benedict errors for the 25-19 win.
 
Benedict and Edward Waters traded points much of the third set before Benedict scored three straight points for a 17-16 lead. Another three-point run gave Benedict a 21-19 lead. Benedict had a 24-21 lead, but couldn't finish off the set as Edward Waters rallied with three straight points to tie the score at 24. Benedict took a 26-25 lead after an Edward Waters error, but Edward Waters scored the next two points off of Benedict errors. Benedict tied the score again at 27 on a kill by Camron Petillo, but Edward Waters finished off the match with a kill and a Benedict error.
 
Kendersley Marcellin had 29 assists on Benedict's 30 total kills. Clint Forbes led the defense with 15 digs. De'Andrae Taylor had four solo blocks.
 
The Tigers are back in action on Tuesday with a non-conference match against St. Andrews at 7 p.m.