DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Ali Ruffin amassed 16 kills and Gina Delancey supplied 11 for her side in leading visiting The Citadel to a 3-0 nonconference volleyball victory over Bethune-Cookman in the nightcap of day one action in the "Bash at the Beach" hosted by BCU inside Richard V. Moore Gymnasium. The Wildcats fell on scores of 25-16, 25-15 and 25-21.
 
Bethune-Cookman (0-2) received two kills apiece from outside hitter Mecca Freeman (Houston, Texas) and redshirt senior Jasmine Moore (Baytown, Texas) in the opening set. But it would be a combined nine-kills effort from The Citadel (2-0) duo of Ali Ruffin and Mackenzie Martin that pushed the Bulldogs to the opening set triumph.
 
In the second set, the Bulldogs hit .281 as a team, while Bethune-Cookman finished at a .103 clip in tallying seven kills off 29 total swings. Ruffin registered a set-high six kills for the visitors, as teammate Belle Hogan produced eight assists from her setter position.
 
Trailing 9-3 in the third frame, BCU rallied behind a series of blocks from junior middle blocker Niara Hightower (Wichita Falls, Texas), redshirt sophomore Alyssa King (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) and redshirt senior Malina Spencer (Kissimmee, Fla.) to eventually knot the score at 13-all.
 
Following a Bulldogs service error from Mia Watson, the third set stood tied at 14-14.
 
Chloe Conover (Lubbock, Texas), a freshman for the Cats, recorded two of her three kills in the set down the stretch to bring BCU to within 24-21, sparking a timeout by The Citadel.
 
A Martin kill – one of her five in the period, eventually closed the match and the win for the Bulldogs.
 
The Citadel was charged by Ruffin with a match-high 16 kills and eight digs. Delancey finished with 11 kills and three blocks (assisted). And it was setter Hogan supplying a match-high 36 assists.
 
BCU was led by Conover and Moore with four kills each, while setter Madison Coates (Oviedo, Fla.) led the Cats with 10 assists. Janleen De Jesus added seven assists and three digs, respectfully. Hightower recorded four blocks (two solo) and three kills.
 
The Cats conclude the 2023 edition of the "Bash at the Beach" on Saturday when facing Marshall at noon back at Richard V. Moore Gymnasium.
 
Follow Bethune-Cookman Volleyball on Twitter (@BCUVolleyball) and Instagram (@BCUVolleyball) for all of the latest news and updates. For all Bethune-Cookman Athletics news, follow us on Twitter (@BCUAthletics), Instagram (@BCU_Athletics) and BCUathletics.com.