ORANGEBURG, S.C. — South Carolina State battled through two competitive sets before falling to Howard University 3-0 (25-21, 25-20, 25-13) in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference women's volleyball action Sunday afternoon at Dukes Gymnasium.
Despite the setback, the Lady Bulldogs displayed determination throughout the contest, particularly in the opening two sets, while receiving solid contributions from several players on both sides of the net.
South Carolina State (6-23 overall, 1-12 MEAC) was led offensively by
Jessika Martinez, who finished with a team-high seven kills. De'Oni McPhearson added five kills on an impressive .444 hitting percentage, while
Carra Pierre-Louis contributed five kills.
Defensively, McPhearson provided a strong presence at the net with three solo blocks and two block assists, helping the Lady Bulldogs finish with eight team blocks.
The Lady Bulldogs opened the match with energy, building an early 6-2 advantage behind aggressive play and timely defensive stops. South Carolina State continued to challenge the Bison throughout the opening frame, which featured 13 ties and four lead changes.
SC State held a 19-17 advantage late in the first set following a service ace by
Jordan Dalland. Howard responded with a rally, but the Lady Bulldogs remained competitive, tying the score at 20 and again at 21 before the Bison claimed the final four points for a 25-21 victory.
In the second set, South Carolina State continued to battle, keeping the contest close through 16-16. The Lady Bulldogs received three kills from
Taelyn Graham and three from
Pierre-Louis during the frame. Howard eventually pulled away to secure a 25-20 win and take a 2-0 match advantage.
Howard carried its momentum into the third set, winning 25-13 to complete the sweep.
South Carolina State finished with 26 kills, 23 assists, 31 digs and eight team blocks. Howard recorded 44 kills, 40 assists, 37 digs and nine team blocks.
The Bison improved to 10-15 overall and 9-4 in conference play.
Lady Bulldogs' Match Highlights
- Jessika Martinez: Led South Carolina State with seven kills and added one block assist.
- De'Oni McPhearson: Recorded five kills, three solo blocks and two block assists while posting a team-best .444 hitting percentage.
- Carra Pierre-Louis: Contributed five kills, one dig and one solo block.
- Macey McCoy: Led the Lady Bulldogs with 11 assists and added five digs.
- Arianna James: Finished with 10 assists, seven digs and one kill.
- Ki'ra Wright: Recorded a team-high eight digs.
- Taelyn Graham: Added three kills, one solo block and two block assists.
- Jordan Dalland: Contributed one service ace, three digs and one kill.
Howard was paced by Corinne Howard with 11 kills, while Addison Buckner added 10 kills and seven digs. Alexys James directed the Bison offense with 26 assists.
Although the final result favored Howard, South Carolina State showed resilience in the opening two sets and received contributions from multiple players as the Lady Bulldogs continued MEAC competition.
For more information on South Carolina State women's volleyball, visit
www.scsuathletics.com.
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