LORMAN, Miss. – The Alcorn State University volleyball program battles the top-two teams in the SWAC Preeason Poll when it heads east to Alabama State and Alabama A&M for its first SWAC East clashes.
The Lady Braves (3-12, 1-4 SWAC) have two girls among the SWAC's top-three as junior
Fiapaipai Iosia averages 3.81 digs per set while junior
Jasmine Chambers has 6.16 assists per set.
Chambers appears on the service aces leaderboard with 0.27 aces per set, leading the squad with 14.
Senior
Singryd Valadares has made an immediate impact in her return from last year's injury, ranking inside the top-10 of the conference for hitting percentage (.219), kills per set (2.38) and points per set (2.69).
Sophomore
Simone Barren lands on the backend of the SWAC's blocks list as she has racked up 32 blocks for an average of 0.63 through 51 sets played.
"This is an opportunity for us to continue to grow as a team and develop," said Head Coach
Melissa Robinson.
Scouting the Alabama State Hornets (Sunday, October 6 at 5 p.m.)
ASU is 4-16 with a 1-4 SWAC record as it opened the season with three straight victories of MEAC opponents while defeating Grambling State in the SWAC Round-Up.
The Hornets rank inside the top-40 in total assists (727), digs (942) and kills (807) to go along with being a top-half team in the SWAC for averages of assists per set (9.80), kills per set (10.77) and blocks per set (1.64) as well as total hitting percentage (.157).
Preseason All-SWAC First Teamer and Preseason SWAC Defensive Player of the Year Bayle' Bennett ranks top-40 in the nation for points (254.5), attack attempts (677) and kills (222), topping the conference in all three categories.
Emersen Belles is the conference's most productive server at 18 aces to accompany a top-three placement with 228 digs.
Alabama State leads the all-time series at 39-20, sweeping the Lady Braves last season and winning 20 consecutive matches dating back to 2008.
Scouting the Alabama A&M Bulldogs (Monday, October 7 at 6 p.m.)
Alabama A&M has the best winning percentage of all SWAC schools, compiling an 8-11 record and coming away victorious in four of the five SWAC contests last weekend.
The Bulldogs were well-represented on the Preseason All-SWAC First Team with five separate players making the squad and Maya Evans earning the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year accolade.
She has made the most of her attacks with a SWAC-best .394 hitting percentage which also is among the top-30 nationally.
Also a member of the Preseason All-SWAC First Team, Megan Evans has been just as excellent pacing the conference in assists per set (8.45) and total assists (507).
Maci Battle can stake a claim as a high-level SWAC defender, ranking in the top-five with 215 digs.
Three of the four outside hitters on the Preseason All-SWAC First Team were Bulldogs (Terra Brooks, Jaelin Gant, Alana Cox) as they joined Maya and Megan Evans.
AAMU has dominated the series winning 49 of 54 all-time meetings with Alcorn's last win taking place in 2015.
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