FORT VALLEY, Ga. – It took five sets, but Tuskegee was able to outlast No. 4 seed Edward Waters (24-26, 25-19, 25-17, 16-25,15-10) Tuesday afternoon in the opening round of the 2026 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Women's Volleyball Tournament at the Health and Physical Education Complex. It was the first tournament win for the fifth-seeded Golden Tigers (19-13) since 2018, when the conference used a double-elimination format. This time, with a win-or-go-home edict, TU was able to avenge its tournament loss to the Tigers (13-13) from 2022.
Najwa Williams led the Golden Tigers offensively with 15 kills, while
Carmyn Lawson (nine kills, 15 digs) and
Helena Pommeret (nine kills, six blocks) showcased their overall production on both sides of the net.
Sahnee Dillahunt-Nedd distributed 18 assists to help direct the Tuskegee offense, while
Ta'Mya Hicks added 15 assists. Defensively,
Sakiah Logan turned in a remarkable performance, collecting a match-high 31 digs and
Chelsea Webb added 12 to help anchor the Golden Tigers' defensive effort.
After splitting the first two sets, the two squads were tied at 6 in the deciding game before Tuskegee took over. The Golden Tigers scored six of the next seven points and EWU provided a lot of help. Two straight errors by the Tigers were followed by a service ace by Dillahunt-Nedd for a 9-6 advantage. After Edward Waters got a sideout,
Jordyn Jones and Williams sandwiched kills around a Lawson ace for a 12-7 lead that put the Golden Tigers on the precipice of victory. After EWU closed the game to 13-10, Tuskegee got the final two points - the last on a combo block by Pommeret and
Tamara Cooper - to seal the win.
The Golden Tigers held advantages in several important statistical categories, finishing with 59 kills compared to 50 for Edward Waters. Tuskegee also recorded advantages in service aces (8-4), total blocks (9-5), assists (48-43) and digs (82-77). Tuskegee will now play in the semifinals against No. 1 seed Spring Hill on Wednesday. First serve is set for noon.
