LORMAN, Miss. - Junior outside hitter Lurlethia Jones and senior libero Carol Kiam-Assato stood out for the Alcorn State University volleyball program Friday evening, but the team dropped a straight-set (25-12, 25-19, 25-19) Southwestern Athletic Conference match to Southern University inside the Davey L. Whitney Complex.
"I talked to 'Lulu' [Jones] before the match and told her in order to win that she and Heather [Jackson] will have to start hitting [better] and hitting in the deep court," said head coach Chelsey Lucas-Nicholas. "She did exactly what I told her to do. She lifted us with four kills in the third set. I took Carol out and made an adjustment which gave her time to regroup. She came back in and started digging balls like she's supposed to."
Jones fired seven kills on a .500 attacking percentage, marking the highest output this season in both categories. Kiam-Assato recorded 20 digs which ties for the SWAC's most during a three-set match this season. Freshman outside hitter Barbara Garrett converted a team-high eight kills as the Lady Braves (1-10, 0-2 SWAC) finished with a 102-89 advantage in attack attempts despite the loss.
The Lady Jaguars (3-8, 2-1 SWAC) took eight of the first nine points in the opening stanza until a Garrett kill made the score 8-2. Southern closed out the remainder of the set with a 17-10 run lifted by Arabella Hall's five kills and two blocks. Garrett finished the opening frame with four kills on a .429 clip.
Alcorn went down 8-2 again at the start of the second set before scoring the next three points on a Brittney Dumas kill and two Lady Jags attack errors. The Lady Braves used a five-point run later in the set capped by a Dnada Smith and Jones assisted block to go ahead 10-9.
The Lady Jags, however, responded with four straight points and pulled away to take set two 25-19 behind three kills each from Arabella Hall and Paige Hall.
Alcorn notched the first five points of the third set behind Smith's tough serving before Southern rallied to score 10 of the next 15 to tie the set at 10. The two teams tied at 11 and 12 before the Lady Jags pulled away with a five-point spurt all on Lady Braves errors.Â
A kill from Alcorn junior middle blocker Heather Jackson later in the set reduced the deficit to 20-18, but Southern then pushed three straight points to put the match out of reach.
The Lady Jags duo of Arabella and Paige Hall combined for 18 of the team's 29 kills.
The Lady Braves return to action next weekend in a two-game away skid at Grambling State University Friday at 3 p.m. and University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff Saturday at 6:30 p.m.
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