JACKSON, TENN. __ Tuskegee Volleyball had an eventful weekend at the SIAC West Cluster in Jackson, Tennessee, where they finished 3-1 across four intense conference matches.
Although the Golden Tigers dropped two hard-fought five-set matches to Lane and Central State on Friday, they rebounded on Saturday, splitting their games with a 3-1 loss to Kentucky State before sweeping LeMoyne-Owen 3-0 in dominant fashion.
LANE 3, TUSKEGEE 2
In their opening match of the weekend, the Golden Tigers faced Lane in a tight five-set contest.
Tuskegee had its rhythm early, taking the first set 26-24 in exciting fashion, as both teams responded to each other with strong play to open the match. The Dragons bounced back in the second set, winning 25-18 behind ten kills and 11 TU errors.
In a back-and-forth set, Lane took control late in the third and won 27-25, edging Tuskegee despite solid defense. Tuskegee forced a decisive fifth set with a commanding 25-15 win, sparked by a .308 hitting percentage in the fourth, however Lane escaped with the win, taking the final set 15-9 in a thrilling finish.
Moriah Seay led the attack with 16 kills along with eight digs, while
Lauren Canady and
Taylor Coleman both added nine kills in the game. Setters
Mikea Allen and
Amara Dotson combined for 38 assists, as Allen finished with a double-double, adding 12 digs.
CENTRAL STATE 3, TUSKEGEE 2
The Golden Tigers faced another five-set battle against Central State but ultimately fell short in another tight match.
Tuskegee took the opening set 25-23, with a balanced offensive attack. Central State evened the match, winning 25-10 in the second set as their defense clamped down on Tuskegee's hitters.
The Golden Tigers regained control in the third set, winning 25-22 with the trio of Canady,
Ma'Kayla Jones, and Seay continuing to lead the offense. Central State responded with a 25-20 win in the fourth, forcing a fifth set after capitalizing on Tuskegee's unforced errors.
The Marauders later outlasted Tuskegee in a close 15-12 final set to win the match.
Seay led the team again with 10 kills along with seven digs and a service ace, while Canady added nine kills and 11 digs, while
Sian Sprinkle finished with eight kills and three blocks in the match.
KENTUCKY STATE 3, TUSKEGEE 1
The Golden Tigers faced Kentucky State in the morning match, where they couldn't overcome their opponent's strong play, falling 3-1.
Tuskegee started strong, taking the first set 25-22 despite the Thorobreds' efforts to stay close. Kentucky State responded with three consecutive wins, a 25-21 win in the second set, 25-17 in the third, and 25-14 in the fourth to close out the match and take the win.
Sprinkle led the game in the game with nine kills and three blocks, followed by Seay who finished with eight kills and ten digs.
Allen and Dotson combined for 33 assists, while Allen added nine digs, and Dotson added four.
Chloe Edwards and
Ziniah Hardy each also added eight digs defensively.
TUSKEGEE 3, LEMOYNE-OWEN 0
In their final match of the weekend, Tuskegee dominated LeMoyne-Owen in a straight-set victory to end the weekend on a high note.
The Golden Tigers set the tone early, pulling out a close 27-25 win, taking advantage of LeMoyne-Owen's defensive struggles.
Tuskegee continued to dominate, winning the second set 25-17 as their defense kept LeMoyne-Owen in check. The Golden Tigers completed the sweep with a 25-16 win, securing their third victory of the weekend and improving their overall record.
Jones led the way offensively with nine kills and one block, while the trio of Seay, Canady, and Taylor all added eight kills in the win.
Seay finished with a team-high nine digs, followed by Hardy with eight and Canady with seven in the match.
Up Next
Tuskegee will return to the court next week to face off against non-conference opponent LaGrange in a return to Daniel "Chappie" James Center on Tuesday, October 29, set for a 6 p.m. start.
Follow the Golden Tigers
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www.goldentigersports.com.
