WASHINGTON, D.C. – Jordan Jefferson and Alondra Bautista each had 15 kills, and Rakaya Neely set a school single-match hitting percentage with an .800 clip, but Bethune-Cookman fell 3-1 (25-23,18-25,28-26,25-21) to two-time Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champion Friday night.

Neely, a senior, connecting on 12 of 15 attempts with no errors to break the previous mark of .750 (15 kills on 20 attempts) set by Phylecia Armstrong against Tulane last year. Neely's hitting percentage was also the fifth best in the nation for 15-19 attempts.

Libero Rechez Lindsay finished with 20 digs for the Wildcats, now 8-10. Jefferson had 12 digs to complete a double-double, while Neely added five blocks.

Jessica Young led Howard (9-13) with 16 kills, while Khalia Donaldson had a double-double of 11 kills and 12 digs.

After evening the match by winning the second set, Bethune-Cookman erased a 19-14 deficit in the third and was at set point before the Bison took four of the final points.

Bethune-Cookman rallied from a 21-14 deficit to close to 23-21 in the fourth set before Howard scored the final two points.

The Wildcats face Maryland-Eastern Shore Sunday.