DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Rhea Simon had 12 kills and Delicia Pierre 11 kills as Bethune-Cookman downed Florida A&M 3-0 (25-22,25-21,25-20) in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Southern Division match Friday night in Moore Gym.
The Lady Cats (6-12, 3-0 MEAC) took the Division lead with their second straight victory over the arch-rival Rattlers (2-14,2-1). B-CU snapped a 48-match losing streak to Florida A&M in the 2014 regular season finale.
“It's our time now. Tonight showed we're headed in the right direction,” said B-CU Head Coach Brittany Williams, who became the first B-CU volleyball to beat Florida A&M in her first try. “We weren't really on, but we found a way to win. Rhea was the spark we needed."
Simon, a senior, had 10 kills over the final two sets, in which the Lady Cats never trailed. She registered the kill on match point to conclude a night that saw her hit .409.
“I was comfortable out there tonight, Simon said. “Playing at home in front of a supportive crowd gave me all the confidence I needed.”
Pierre, who registered her 1,000th career kill Tuesday night against North Florida, also had six blocks and two service. She and Phlyecia Armstrong combined for 11 blocks as B-CU posted 16 blocks to FAMU's nine and limited the Rattlers to an .077 hitting percentage.
“We outplayed FAMU. We out thought them,” said Pierre. “Rhea – my island sister – was amazing. She was smart and hit her spots.”
Pierre's two service aces came in four-point service run in the opening set that helped B-CU pull away from a 20-20 tie. Destiny Hudson registered the kill on set point.
In the second set, B-CU was one point away from taking the set at 24-13 before the Rattlers scored eight unanswered points to close within three points, but lost the set on an attack error.
B-CU scored the first three points of the final set and took its biggest lead at 17-9 on Hazel Ortiz-Rosado's kill.
Ortiz-Rosado posted 27 assists, while Alexus Bennett had seven digs in a balanced Lady Cat defensive effort that included four other players- Pierre, Ajsha Davis, Ortiz-Rosado and Normarie Rolon – posted six digs.
Starmichael Tucker led Florida A&M with 10 kills.
B-CU hosts North Carolina A&T next Friday.
