COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Benedict College Tigers jumped out to a 2-0 lead, but Central State rallied to take a 3-2 victory in a closely contested SIAC men's volleyball match on Thursday night in the Benjamin E. Mays HRC Arena, as the Tigers celebrated Senior Day.
 
Central State won the match 21-25, 26-28, 25-22, 25-14, 15-10. Benedict wrapped up the regular season at 8-8 overall and 4-4 in the SIAC. Central State improves to 8-12 overall and 4-3 in the SIAC.
 
The first set was close the entire way and was tied at 20 as the two teams headed down the final stretch. A Central State service error and a kill by Jared Brown gave the Tigers a 22-20 lead. The Marauders got a kill to make it 22-21, but the Tigers scored the final three points to secure the win. Brown had a kill and a service ace, and Camron Petillo closed out the set with a kill.
 
The Tigers jumped out to a hot start in the second set, scoring the first five points. The Marauders chipped away and tied the score at 15 and 16 and later at 21. The Tigers scored the next two points for a 23-21 lead, but the Marauders scored the next three points to take their first lead in the set, 24-23. A kill by Brown tied the match and the two teams traded points until Central State had a 26-25 lead. A Central State service error tied the score, and Benedict got the final two points on a CSU attack error and a kill by Petillo.
 
The third set was another tight contest, with the score tied at 22 before the Marauders closed out the set with the final three points on a pair of kills and a Benedict error.
 
Central State used a 7-0 run in the fourth set to take an 18-8 lead and went on to win and tie the match at two sets each and force a deciding fifth set.
 
Central State had a 9-8 lead midway through the fifth set. Central State outscored Benedict 5-1 for a 14-9 lead. After a CSU error, the Marauders closed out the match with a kill.
 
Central State recorded 77 kills in the match and hit .388, while Benedict had 49 kills and hit .219. Petillo led the Tigers with 14 kills, while Brown had 11. Matthew Dimapan had 29 assists, while Cameron Long had 15 digs.
 
Benedict honored their three seniors – Long, Petillo and Hakan Godoy – after the second set.
 
The Tigers will compete in the SIAC Championship April 16-18 in Jacksonville, Fla.