DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Mia Delahoussaye and Mecca Freeman combined for 15 kills Friday evening as Bethune-Cookman Volleyball took a 3-2 victory from Alabama A&M in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) opener for both teams inside Richard V. Moore Gymnasium. BCU came from behind to win the match on scores of 25-20, 19-25, 18-25, 25-15, 17-15.
 
After falling behind 2-1 in the match, Bethune-Cookman (1-11, 1-0 SWAC) limited the visiting Bulldogs to a negative hitting percentage (-.103) in the fourth set on the strength of four team blocks.
 
BCU surged out to a 4-1 run early-on with a service ace and kill from Elizabeth Phillips. Moments later, the lead would swell to 8-3 in favor of the Wildcats off the serve of Madison Coates, using blocks from Ktyal Price and Niara Hightower. In all, Hightower, a junior from Wichita Falls, Texas, produced a team-leading six blocks (five assisted) on the night.
 
With the Cats up 13-5, AJ Simmons and Malina Spencer combined for a block at the net off the attack of the Bulldogs' Saldy Amparo Smith, followed immediately by a Spencer kill – one of her four in the match, leading into the media timeout.
 
Alabama A&M (1-13, 0-1 SWAC) trailed 23-11 before Bailey Duckett and Samaurya Mahone went back-to-back for kills, aided additionally by a Wildcats attack error to chip into the lead at 24-15. However, a Bulldogs attack error from Kemora Coachman allowed BCU the 25-15 set win, forcing a decisive fifth set.
 
In the fifth frame, the lead changed hands twice with nine ties overall.
 
A pair of Spencer kills pushed BCU in front 3-1, before a service error and attack error charged to the Cats – one of three hitting errors in the set for the Maroon and Gold, knotted the frame at 3-all. The two teams would trade points and side-outs, respectfully, until a 3-0 run by the visitors saw them go on top, 8-6.
 
Mahone supplied both of her kills in the set to give Alabama A&M an 8-6 edge stemming from a ballhandling error by the Wildcats.
 
The Wildcats used a Simmons kill and a Bulldogs attack error to tie the score at 8-all.
 
But once again, Alabama A&M was able to create breathing room courtesy a 3-0 run to move them ahead at 12-9, using a Caitlin Shaw kill, mixed with a pair of Bethune-Cookman attack errors.
 
With the Bulldogs' Keyara Brooks serving for match-point at 14-12, Hightower produced a kill off the set of Alisha Callender, before AAMU's Ajanae Cressey hit out of play to bring the score level for the eighth time in the frame at 14-14. Two points later with the set tied at 15-all, the Bulldogs committed their sixth attack error of the period, setting the stage for Hightower to tally a service ace to end the match, giving the hosts their first win of the 2023 campaign.
 
BCU hit at a match-high .429 clip en route to the 25-20 opening set win. Alabama A&M used 20 errors committed by the Cats in the second and third frame, respectively, to grab the 2-1 advantage.
 
Alabama A&M was topped by three players in double-figures for kills – Duckett (14), Shaw (13) and Mahone (11). Setters Grace Tapscott (34 assists) and Mackenzie Jefferson (15 assists) set up the Bulldogs attack, while Duckett and Coachman each tallied two block assists. Michell Jerez led the defensive efforts with a match-high tying 20 digs.
 
As for BCU, the Cats were powered by eight kills and two assisted blocks from sophomore outside hitter Mecca Freeman. Mia Delahoussaye added seven kills and five digs. And it was Callender finishing with 27 assists, followed by teammate Coates with 11. Price had four assisted blocks, while sophomore libero Rylee Davis recorded her third match this season with at least 20 digs, using 20 on the night. Sydni Poston had 11 digs.
 
As a unit, Bethune-Cookman registered 12 service aces, as Hightower, Callender and Phillips each amassed three in the match.
 
BCU returns home Sunday, Sept. 24, at noon, welcoming Alabama State to Moore Gymnasium in a SWAC matchup featuring two teams entering at 1-0 in the conference, as the Hornets took down Florida A&M on Friday evening in Tallahassee.
 
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