Lady Braves Finish Tri-Match With Resilient Five-Set Win Over WCU

LORMAN, Miss. – After falling to Mississippi College in its first match of the day, the Alcorn State University volleyball program secured their first win of the season with a 3-2 victory over William Carey (Miss.) Thursday night at the Davey L. Whitney Complex.
 
Senior Alondra Rivera Modesto scored the match point and led the Lady Braves (1-5) on the day with 25 kills. Sophomore Mae Lewis finished with 18 kills, freshman Sydney Joseph contributed 17, and sophomore Daharri Thompkins added 14. Freshman Jurnee Calhoun racked up 74 assists and sophomore Fiapaipai Iosia served four aces.
 
Defensively, five Lady Braves reached double-digit digs on the day, led by Iosia with 27. Rivera Modesto recorded nine blocks, while Thompkins and freshman Simone Barren tallied seven each.
 
Mississippi College | L, 3-0 (25-19, 25-13, 25-22)
 
The Lady Choctaws (4-5) took the opening match of the tri-match in straight sets. In set one, MC broke open an early seesaw battle with seven unanswered to take a 13-5 advantage. Alcorn would claw its way back to within 22-18, but the visitors closed out the set for the 1-0 match lead.
 
An 11-0 run by MC highlighted a 25-13 set two that made it 2-0. In the final set, the Lady Braves battled back from a seven-point deficit to within 13-12. The teams traded the lead multiple times before the Lady Choctaws put together a 5-0 run to seal the victory.
 
Rivera Modesto totaled nine kills, Calhoun posted 26 assists, and sophomore Kaylyn Latin had a season-high 13 digs to lead Alcorn in the loss.
 
William Carey (Miss.) | W, 3-2 (25-27, 25-17, 25-23, 24-26, 15-10)
 
The final match of the day versus the Lady Crusaders (3-6) was close the entire way. The teams knotted the opening set at 24-24 and 25-25 before a WCU kill and an Alcorn attack error gave the guests the early match lead.
 
Alcorn came out fighting in set two, though, as the Lady Braves started off with four consecutive points and a 7-2 advantage. Another 4-0 swing allowed the Purple and Gold to create enough separation and Alcorn knotted the match at one apiece.
 
Set three was a mirror of set two as WCU went ahead 14-8, but the Lady Braves refused to go down. A Joseph kill ignited a 6-1 swing that got Alcorn to within 15-14. The home team then took over with a 7-1 run and was able to hold off the Lady Crusaders 25-23 to take the match lead.
 
It looked like Alcorn would take care of things with a 16-9 lead in set four, but WCU didn't want to lose. Down 24-20, the Red, Black, and White scored six straight points to force a decisive fifth set. After an early tie at 3-3, though, Alcorn took over and didn't look back. An attack error by the Lady Braves allowed WCU to get to within 8-7, but that was the closest the Lady Crusaders would get as Alcorn prevailed 15-10 to get the emotional win.
 
Alcorn had four student-athletes score double-digit kills in the match, led by Rivera Modesto with a season-best 16. Also with season highs were Calhoun with 48 assists and Iosia with 20 digs.

The win also marked the first win over the Lady Crusaders in just the third meeting between the two programs. WCU won both matches last season.
 
The Lady Braves will make the short trip up to Tougaloo this Monday for a 6 p.m. meeting with the Lady Bulldogs. The team then heads to San Antonio, Texas to compete in the University of the Incarnate Word Classic on Sept. 14-15.
 
Quoting freshman Sydney Joseph
On being able to get the win
 
"We worked so hard for this moment. I think when we really pick each other up, that's when we play and everyone does their job. When we come together, we're unstoppable. I can't wait to prove everyone wrong and I'm just so happy for us."
 
On being able to hold off William Carey
 
"This just shows that when we're down, we can get back up. That's the type of team we are. When we have each other's back, we're good always."
 
Quoting senior Alondra Rivera Modesto
On what was said before set five
 
"We said that we have to keep our head in the game. In those moments when you're about to win a game, you have to focus even more. Focus on your target and focus on hitting the right spots to get the point."
 
On getting the team's first win at home
 
"It was so big. You know why? Because we proved everybody wrong and I just want to say that we're a brand-new team and we're going to win this season. It's a new Alcorn volleyball team!"


 
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