DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Niara Hightower registered a match-high nine blocks, and it was Jasmine Robinson supplying eight kills as Bethune-Cookman defeated visiting Alabama A&M, 3-0 in Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Volleyball action at Richard V. Moore Gymnasium on Friday evening. The Cats took the match on scores of 25-19, 25-9 and 25-22.
 
Bethune-Cookman (5-10, 2-1 SWAC) would hold the visitors to a negative hitting clip (-.032) on the night, while the Maroon and Gold hit .274 as a team, respectfully.
 
Niara Hightower picked up four kills on four attempts – adding three assisted blocks – in the opening set, as B-CU took an early 10-4 lead. However, Alabama A&M (3-11, 1-2 SWAC) would use a Grace Tapscott service ace coupled with a Wildcats set error to cut the B-CU advantage, 12-9.
 
After B-CU pushed the lead back out to 16-11 on the strength of two Hightower kills, the Bulldogs would reply to score seven of the next eight points. Bailey Duckett picked up a kill while teammate Saldy Amparo Smith laid down back-to-back kills in order to give the visitors their first lead of the set, 18-17.
 
Ariel "AJ" Simmons regrouped following an attack error to tally a kill, knotting the set at 18-all. Blocks from Ktyal Price and Simmons ensued, while Price then delivered a block of Madison Raybon to push the Cats in front, 20-18. Simmons and Price would connect again for a block, this time on a Fatima Ramirez attack, followed by kills from freshman Amya Jennings and Hightower to close out the set and give B-CU the 25-19 decision.
 
The second set was tied at 4-4 when a Hemphill service ace was immediately proceeded by a Robinson kill and a Robinson/Price block combination – added another Robinson kill from the right side, allowing Bethune-Cookman an 8-4 lead. The Cats would hit .364 in the set with nine kills on 22 swings, adding three service aces and eight assisted blocks to run away with a 25-9 set victory.
 
B-CU led the third set 21-19 after Mecca Freeman's kill down the middle. But the Bulldogs quickly responded with a Duckett block to bring the visitors to within 21-20. The two sides traded points up until a Price kill for the Cats, pushing Bethune-Cookman out in front, 24-22.
 
Following a Bulldogs timeout, Jennings served for B-CU, and it was an attack error from AAMU's Nhya Morgan that closed the set and match courtesy a 25-22 decision.
 
The Bulldogs were led on the night by six kills from Amparo Smith. She also led the squad with five blocks. Saniya Spalding and Ramirez each tallied five kills. Tapscott had nine assists, while Michell Jerez picked up seven digs.
 
B-CU was powered on the night by an eight-kill performance from Robinson. Hightower added seven kills and a match-high nine blocks (eight assisted). Hemphill had 16 assists, and it was Alisha Callender with 13 assists. Robinson also added seven digs from her outside hitter position. And it was Elizabeth Phillps and Rylee Davis each picking up six digs, respectively. Price would contribute six blocks (four assisted) on the night as well.
 
The Cats welcome league opponent Alabama State to Moore Gymnasium for a matinee affair Sunday, Oct. 6, at noon.
 
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