ORANGEBURG, S.C. — South Carolina State turned in several strong individual performances but came up short against crosstown rival Claflin, falling 3-1 Wednesday night in Part II of the Battle of the Burg at Tullis Arena.
The Bulldogs (3-9) battled the Panthers through four competitive sets before Claflin secured the 26-24, 21-25, 25-23, 25-21 victory. The match featured 23 ties and 13 lead changes, reflecting a tightly contested rivalry matchup.
Despite the setback, SC State finished with
52 kills, three more than Claflin's 49, while recording 52 assists and 59 digs. The Bulldogs also generated 11 service aces, compared with four for the Panthers. SC State finished the night hitting .145 on 145 total attacks.
Kenna Harris led the Bulldogs offensively with a match-high 14 kills while hitting .333.
Amani Hawkins added 12 kills with a .267 hitting percentage, giving SC State a productive one-two combination at the net.
Ki'ra Wright contributed eight kills and 10 digs, while
Taelyn Graham was efficient with five kills on 10 attacks for a team-best .400 hitting percentage among players with at least 10 attempts.
SC State also received solid production from its setters and back row.
Macey McCoy and
Arianna James each distributed 23 assists, while libero
Jordan Dalland anchored the defense with a team-high 16 digs. Dalland also recorded three service aces, while James, McCoy and
Chloe Neal each added two.
The Bulldogs showed their resilience after dropping a tight opening set, 26-24. SC State responded in the second, building separation behind a balanced attack and taking the frame 25-21. The Bulldogs hit .194 in the set while holding Claflin to just .051, with Hawkins, Wright, De'Oni McPhearson and Graham contributing to the offensive push.
The third set proved pivotal. SC State fought back from a sizeable deficit and eventually pulled even at 23-23 following a McCoy service ace. Claflin, however, scored the final two points to escape with a 25-23 victory.
SC State remained within striking distance in the fourth before Claflin closed out the match, 25-21.
While the Panthers held the advantage at the net with 16 total team blocks, the Bulldogs' ability to produce more kills and service aces provided positives to build on moving forward. SC State's strongest offensive stretch came in the opening set, when the Bulldogs registered 19 kills and hit .262.
The contest drew
1,211 fans to Tullis Arena and lasted one hour, 59 minutes.
