DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Niara Hightower registered six blocks while teammate Elizabeth Phillips posted seven kills in leading Bethune-Cookman to a 3-0 Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) victory over Alcorn State on Monday afternoon at Richard V. Moore Gymnasium. The Wildcats took the match by set scores of 25-9, 25-14, 25-10.
 
Bethune-Cookman (6-18, 6-7 SWAC) began the match hitting at a blistering .500 clip in the opening set, recording 12 kills on 24 attempts against zero (0) errors.
 
Freshman outside hitter Mia Delahoussaye tallied six kills in the opening set. Malina Spencer, a redshirt senior from Kissimmee, Florida, added three kills of her own, as the Wildcats used a 14-point run in the frame. BCU led 7-5 when Spencer picked up a kill that allowed Elizabeth Phillips to serve across the 14-point scoring run, with the Arkansas State transfer picking up a pair of service aces in the process.
 
The second set would see the emergence of Jasmine Moore to the fold, with the Maroon and Gold riding the redshirt senior outside hitter to four kills, as well as Phillips supplying four kills of her own.
 
For Alcorn (1-17, 1-11 SWAC), a Hannah Solomon kill knotted the second set at 8-8, as the Braves received five kills in the period from the San Antonio, Texas native. However, it would be another BCU run – this one being a 7-1 outburst, which allowed the hosts to build a 15-9 advantage. AJ Simmons tallied a pair of kills down the stretch off the set of Alisha Callender to give the Wildcats the 25-14 set win.
 
Bethune-Cookman hit .391 in the third set – once again recording 12 kills in the frame.
 
Phillips amassed another three kills in the set. And it was Moore, Spencer and Niara Hightower each tallying two kills, added four block assists from Hightower – the SWAC's leader in blocks, propelling the Wildcats to the 25-10 decision.
 
With the win, BCU improved to 3-0 in the SWAC Cluster #2 event.
 
Alcorn was led by Solomon with eight kills and a block assist. Ramona Pulu had nine assists, while Harmoni Carswell led the squad with 20 digs.
 
BCU was paced by the play of Phillips' seven-kills performance, adding three service aces, seven digs and an assisted block. Moore and Delahoussaye combined for 12 kills. Callender produced a team-high 15 assists, followed by Janleen De Jesus with nine assists and nine digs. Essence Bell led all Wildcats performers with 16 digs. Hightower finished with six blocks, moving her to within four blocks of 100 for the season.
 
The Cats return to action Friday, Nov. 3, when BCU travels to Jackson State for a SWAC matchup set for 7 p.m. ET.
 
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