DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Jordan Jefferson posted a double-double of 15 kills and 12 digs as Bethune-Cookman won its fourth straight with a 3-0 (25-19,25-16,25-18) Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Southern Division victory over North Carolina Central Sunday afternoon.
 
Alondra Bautista also double-doubled with 12 kills and 14 digs as the Wildcats (8-8 overall, 5-0 MEAC) maintained their division lead at the completion of the first half of league play.
 
Rakaya Neely added six kills, five blocks and two service aces while setter Phalen Clark posted 39 assists, eight digs and three blocks for the Wildcats, who didn't trail in the second and third sets.
 
The Eagles had early leads of 3-2 and 4-3 in the opening set before the Wildcats scored three unanswered points to take a 6-4 lead on a Neely ace.  The Wildcats led 21-14 before a four-point Eagle run closed it to 21-18, however, Bethune-Cookman closed the on a 4-1 run.
 
In the second set, Bethune-Cookman pulled away from a 6-5 lead with a 7-1 run. Jessica Emile's kill closed the set.
 
The Wildcats jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the third set.
 
Libero Rechez Lindsay posted 18 digs for the Wildcats.
 
Whitney White led North Carolina Central (2-15,2-3) with 10 kills.
 
Bethune-Cookman travels to Florida Gulf Coast Tuesday.
 
HEAD COACH BRITTANY WILLIAMS
 
"We've been trying to find our own rhythm and not let the strengths and weaknesses of our opponents dictate how we play. It was big that we played our own game."
 
"Alondra's play of late is a huge piece. Opponent middles have to stay with our middles and …Bautista and Jefferson 1-on-1? With anybody? That ball is coming down hard. Alondra has buckled down and showed us another dimension."
 
"Being 8-8 and undefeated in conference play is big. We're finally finding our stride."
 
 
NOTES: The Wildcats are at .500 after 16 matches for the first time since 2004. That team was 9-7 after 16 matches and finished 14-12 … Emile had four kills and two blocks … Jefferson now has 10 double-doubles this season … Four of B-CU's MEAC opponents were held to under .100 hitting…Neely posted her 700^th career kill in the second set; she's tenth on the all-time kills list.