MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Tuskegee volleyball battled hard on the road Friday night but came up short in a 3–0 loss to Auburn University at Montgomery inside the AUM Athletics Complex.
The Golden Tigers (3–1) had stretches of momentum in each set but ultimately dropped the match 25–17, 25–19, 25–19 to the Warhawks (3–1).
Tuskegee came out swinging in the opening frame, with senior
Demya Tate leading the charge.
Tate tallied four kills in the first set and sparked an early push that saw Tuskegee take a 10–8 lead following back-to-back attack errors from AUM and a service ace from
Najwa Williams. However, AUM responded with a 9–4 run, capitalizing on service pressure and front-row blocks to pull away and secure the 25–17 win.
The second set showcased Tuskegee's best stretch of the night. The Golden Tigers jumped ahead 6–4 after kills from Williams and
Jordyn Jones, combined with a block assist by Jones and Tate that fired up the Tuskegee bench.
Breunna Crawford added a kill to push the lead to 9–7, and libero
Chloe Edwards steadied the back row with six digs in the set.
Despite the surge, AUM countered with a series of service aces and clutch kills to flip the momentum. Tuskegee called a timeout trailing 22–19, but the Warhawks closed out the set with three unanswered points to take a 2–0 lead.
Tuskegee again opened strong in the third set, as
Lauren Canady and Tate combined for kills to make the score at 13–12. Edwards and setter
Mikea Allen both contributed defensive plays to extend rallies, while Williams kept the attack alive with her versatility at the net.
But once more, AUM strung together a late scoring run, using kills from Salome De Jesus and Emma Claire Long to seal the match with a 25–19 final.
Tate finished with a team-high six kills, while Williams added three kills, seven digs, and two service aces. Edwards led all players with 14 digs, showing her consistency in the libero role.
As a team, Tuskegee posted just 17 kills on 107 attempts, with 16 assists spread across the offense. The Golden Tigers also recorded 10 total team blocks on the day.
Up Next
Tuskegee will look to regroup quickly as they return home next week for a pair of non-conference games against Rust (Sept. 22) and Claflin (Sept. 23), both set for 6 p.m. starts at the Daniel "Chappie" James Center.
Follow the Golden Tigers
Stay connected with Tuskegee Volleyball on Twitter and Instagram (@Skegeevball). For complete coverage of Tuskegee University athletics, follow on social media at @MyTUAthletics (Twitter/Instagram), @GoldenTigerSports on Facebook, and visit the official home of Tuskegee University athletics at
www.goldentigersports.com.
