DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Led by 22 kills from Elizabeth Phillips, the Wildcats swept a pair of Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Volleyball matchups for their first back-to-back wins of the season, Sunday at Moore Gymnasium.

The Wildcats were victorious in game one over Arkansas - Pine Bluff by set scores of 25-16, 21-25 and 25-17, and 25-18.

They followed that up with a massive win over Grambling State in straight sets, 25-22, 25-22, and 25-16



GAME 1 - B-CU 3, UAPB 1

Bethune-Cookman (5-18, 5-7 SWAC) held Arkansas - Pine Bluff (5-21, 2-9 SWAC)  to only seven kills with six errors in the first set. After a back-and-forth start to the match that saw the two squads locked at 5-5, a B-CU rally that saw four kills from Malina Spencer propelled the Wildcats to a 12-6 advantage.

Four straight Lions errors gave B-CU the 21-13 advantage as Mia Delahoussaye's kill capped off the set one win. 

The B-CU offense sputtered in the second set as the Wildcats hit only 0.083 as a team. UAPB kept things close, as neither team led by more than three at any point, but a set-leading five kills from Zykia Jones proved to be the difference as the Lions held on, 25-21. 

A Janleen De Jesus serve in set three that included four service aces saw B-CU jump out to a quick 11-3 lead that they never relinquished as they cruised to a 25-17 win. 

The Wildcats wrapped up the contest by hitting a game-high .423 in the fourth set as B-CU finished off the win with a 25-18 set win.

The Wildcats were led in kills by Elizabeth Phillips with 14. She hit .237 for the game with eight digs, three service aces, and a block assist. 

Niara Hightower continued her outstanding defensive season, leading all players with eight total blocks, three solo. She also had seven kills. 

Essence Bell recorded a match-high 20 digs. Malina Spencer chipped in three block assists and seven kills. 


GAME 2, B-CU 3, GRAMBLING STATE 0.

The Wildcats rolled their game one momentum into their second contest of the day, jumping out to a 15-9 advantage over Grambling State (7-18, 5-7 SWAC) in the first set. 

Despite trailing Grambling State in kills, 17-15 in set one, six Tiger errors were the difference as B-CU held on for the 25-22 set win. 

Errors proved costly again for the Tigers in set two as the Wildcats battled for a 25-22 win courtesy of nine Grambling State errors. Hightower and AJ Simmons combined for a block to give the Cats the 2-0 lead. 

The Widlcats finished the job in set three as the Tigers managed a -.020 hitting percentage. B-CU wasted no time racing ahead, 19-9 and never let up.

Mia Delahoussaye led all players with 10 kills, while Ktyal Price led with five total blocks, two solo. 

Alisha Callender led with 16 assists, while De Jesus followed with 15 of her own.



The Wildcats get right back to work Monday to round out the SWAC cluster with their final home game of the 2023 season. B-CU is set to host Alcorn State at 1 p.m .

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