DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Bethune-Cookman Volleyball hosts two "Magnolia State" programs this weekend when Jackson State and Mississippi Valley State arrive to Richard V. Moore Gymnasium for a pair of Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) matches, respectfully.
 
Bethune-Cookman welcomes Jackson State for a Black-Out match on Friday, Sept. 29, at 6 p.m. The Cats bring Mississippi Valley State to Moore Gym for Maroon/Team Day on Sunday, Oct. 1, at noon.
 
MATCH #14: Bethune-Cookman Wildcats vs. Jackson State Tigers
WHEN: Friday, Sept. 29, at 6 p.m.
WHERE: Moore Gymnasium (Daytona Beach, Fla.)
WATCH LIVE: CatEye Network
LIVE STATS: Click Here
 
MATCH #15: Bethune-Cookman Wildcats vs. Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils
WHEN: Sunday, Oct. 1, at noon
WHERE: Moore Gymnasium (Daytona Beach, Fla.)
WATCH LIVE: CatEye Network
LIVE STATS: Click Here
 
IN THE RANKINGS
▪ Bethune-Cookman is not ranked in this week's AVCA Division I Coaches Poll Top 25
▪ Jackson State is not ranked in this week's AVCA Division I Coaches Poll Top 25
▪ Mississippi Valley State is not ranked in this week's AVCA Division I Coaches Poll Top 25
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
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NEWS & NOTES
▪ Niara Hightower leads the SWAC with an average of 0.93 blocks per set. Overall, she has accumulated 40 total blocks (11 solo) across the campaign.
▪ Jasmine Moore guides the Maroon and Gold in kills with a team-leading 60 (1.71 per set), followed by Malina Spencer (56) and Mia Delahoussaye (52).
▪ The two-setter system of Alisha Callender (149 assists) and Madison Coates (113 assists) has been employed throughout the season by Head Coach Brittany Williams. Callender, a preseason All-SWAC Team member, averages 4.26 assists per set.
▪ Newcomer Elizabeth Phillips has a team-high 12 service aces (0.39 per set) to top the Cats in that department.
▪ Sophomore defensive specialist/libero Rylee Davis tops the Maroon and Gold with 115 digs (3.03 per set). Callender is second on the squad with 68 digs from her setter position on the court.
▪ Ktyal Price and AJ Simmons each have recorded 20-plus blocks for the Wildcats, as Price sits with 22 and Simmons has 20 to her credit.
▪ Callender was named as the female Wildcat of the Week this week by the BCU Department of Athletics.
 
BCU VS. JACKSON STATE SERIES
▪ Bethune-Cookman holds a slight 4-3 advantage all-time in the series against Jackson State. The Wildcats split the two meetings against the Tigers last season, with BCU falling in Mississippi, but taking a 3-1 win from JSU in Tallahassee, Florida. BCU opened the series winning the first three meetings dating back to 1998.
 
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
▪ Jackson State enters the weekend sporting a 5-6 overall record, and a 1-0 mark in SWAC play. The Tigers are led by Alexis Williams with 122 kills (2.71 per set), followed closely by Hope Briggs with 115 kills (2.56 per set). JSU has two setters in their offensive formation, headlined by Naija Gadis (215 assists) at the setter position. Karys Dove (171 assists) is just behind Gadis. Williams has a team-leading 12 service aces. Trinity Bryant is the leader defensively with 155 digs (3.44 per set), as teammate Williams has 126 digs (2.80 per set). The blocks are provided by Jordan Jones (36) and Kyahana Robinson (33), respectfully.
 
BCU VS. MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE SERIES
▪ B-CU holds an unblemished 5-0 record all-time against Mississippi Valley State. The only decision that has not ended in a 3-0 Wildcats sweep was a 3-2 decision in favor of BCU back on Sept. 12, 2009, in Montgomery, Alabama.
 
SCOUTING THE DELTA DEVILS
▪ Mississippi Valley State owns a record of 4-9 overall, and an 0-1 record in the SWAC as the Delta Devils arrive to the "Sunshine State". Two Delta Devils own 40-plus kills on the campaign – Michayla Black (46) and Seerdyn James (44). The offensive formations are set up by setter Mikayla Lee (174 assists), as she averages 4.24 assists per set. Malia Black has registered 13 service aces for the Delta Devils, while Lee follows closely with 12 aces. Ashlyn Hawkins headlines the defensive efforts with 96 digs (2.43 per set), while Malia Black has 10 blocks.
 
A QUICK LOOK AT THE CATS
Record – 1-12 (.077) // SWAC Record – 1-1 (.500) // Last 5 Matches – 1-4 (.200) // Last 10 Matches – 1-9 (.100) // Last 15 Matches – 2-13 (.133) // BCU will play the 193rd match of the Brittany Williams era when the Wildcats face off against Jackson State on Friday evening.
 
LAST TIME OUT FOR THE CATS
Jasmine Moore registered 19 kills Sunday afternoon as Bethune-Cookman fell to visiting Alabama State, 3-1 in a SWAC at Moore Gym. Alabama State grabbed the win on set scores of 25-17, 20-25, 25-17, 25-15. After dropping the opening set, BCU recorded a .310 hitting percentage in the second set, aided by four kills each from Jasmine Moore and Elizabeth Phillips. A Taila Gaines kill off the set of Madison Beasley tied the second frame at 10-10 before a 6-1 run was kicked off by the Wildcats with a Malina Spencer kill. Alabama State knotted the set at 11-all with Jada Rhodes' kill. But it would be Moore with another successful attack for the Maroon and Gold, followed by blocks from AJ Simmons and Alyssa King to push the BCU advantage at 13-11. A pair of Sydni Poston service aces bookended a Phillips kill that saw the Cats widen the margin at 16-11. BCU increased the lead to as many as six (22-16) using another Phillips kill off the set of Alisha Callender. After ASU chipped into the lead at 24-20, a service error charged to the Hornets allowed BCU the 25-20 set win. In the third frame, ASU hit at a match-high .536 clip with 17 kills coming on 28 swings against just two errors. The Wildcats countered with a .261 hitting mark of their own. With the third set tied at 14-all following a kill from BCU's Moore, the visitors embarked upon a quick 4-0 run to jump out to an 18-14 advantage. A'Nylah Cobb registered a kill, while Christyn Ashby and Kaylen Hines assisted for blocks at the net. Another Ashby kill was followed by a BCU attack error to push the Hornets lead at 18-14. The Hornets would go on to score five of the last six points in the set, using another kill from Cobb and a service ace by Beasley to finalize the 25-17 set win for ASU. Six different Wildcats gathered kills in the fourth set, but Alabama State forced BCU into eight hitting errors and three reception errors en route to the 25-15 win. For ASU, Gaines had five kills and a pair of service aces in the final frame, while Cobb added four kills of her own. ASU was led on the day by three different players in double figures for kills, using a match-high 14 from Cobb in the process. Jylen Whitten recorded 12 kills, and Gaines finished with 11. Beasley concluded the match with 27 assists and two service aces. Gaines also had five blocks (four assisted), while Temperance Chatman provided 16 digs off the bench. Bethune-Cookman was headlined by Moore's 10-kill performance. Phillips provided her side with nine kills and seven digs. The assists were tallied by Callender (19) and Madison Coates (17). Callender finished off her double-double outing with 11 digs to lead the Maroon and Gold defensively. Rylee Davis was just outside of double-figure digs with nine.
 
UP NEXT
Bethune-Cookman travels to Houston for the first SWEAC Cluster of the 2023 campaign hosted by Texas Southern. The event takes place October 8-9, inside the Health & Physical Education Arena.
 
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