ITTA BENA, Miss. – The Alcorn State University volleyball program completed the season sweep of the Delta Devilettes, ending SWAC competition with a win on the road against its in-state rival.
The Lady Braves (6-23, 3-15 SWAC) were led on offense by junior Daharri Thompkins, sophomore Sydney Joseph and freshman Jéda Curry who all had eight kills each. Senior Barbara Grubisic Cabo had a season-high 32 assists (8.0 per set) while both junior Fiapaipai Iosia (17) and sophomore Jurnee Calhoun (13) logged double-digit digs.
Calhoun's 13 digs set a new career-high while Grubisic Cabo tied her season-bests in both digs (5) and aces (3).
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Mississippi Valley State | W, 3-1 (25-18, 19-25, 25-22, 25-15)
The purple and gold visitors dominated to begin the first set, putting nine unanswered on the board before MVSU could score. Valley would get the lead down to five (17-12) but the Delta Devilettes never made a serious threat as the Lady Braves took set one (25-18).
Alcorn went ahead by a slim margin of 5-3 before Mississippi Valley State used an 8-1 run to move in front 11-6 to open the second frame. The home team would not trail the rest of the set as the green and red earned a two-set split (19-25).
The third set was all Lady Braves through the first 15 points as the visitors from Lorman stormed out to a 11-4 advantage. Valley slowly but surely inched its way back into the conversation, outscoring Alcorn 17-9 to trail by only one (22-21). Coach Robinson's bunch put the comeback bid to bed, ending the set on a 3-1 rally to win and take control (25-22).
MVSU kept the fourth set tight through seven points as Alcorn led 4-3. Five consecutive Lady Braves points and six of seven allowed for some breathing room at 10-4. Alcorn blew the set open from there, widening its cushion to ten on four separate occasions as they downed Mississippi Valley State and secured a victory in the SWAC finale (25-15).
Head coach Melissa Robinson will one of her former teams, Tuskegee University, at 6 p.m. Thursday for Senior Night.
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