DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Brooke Lynn Watts registered 20 kills Friday evening as visiting Florida A&M snapped Bethune-Cookman's school record eight-match winning streak 3-1 in a Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Volleyball match inside Richard V. Moore Gymnasium. FAMU collected the win on scores of 23-25, 25-23, 25-23, 25-15.
 
Bethune-Cookman (14-12, 11-3 SWAC) opened the match taking the first set on the strength of four kills each from Ktyal Price and Jasmine Robinson.
 
With B-CU holding a slim 22-21 advantage late in the opening frame, Robinson supplied a kill down the middle assisted by a blocking error from the Rattlers' Isis Williams. After a Brooke Lynn Watts kill brought Florida A&M back to within a point, it would be blocks from Williams and Iyonnie Sanford that tied the set at 23-23. But in the end, Niara Hightower – the SWAC's leader in blocks, collected a kill for the Wildcats before a Brookelynn Thomas attack error supplied the Maroon and Gold with the win, 25-23.
 
In the second set, FAMU (22-6, 14-0 SWAC) held the cats to just .095 hitting, while Watts and Sanford combined for 13 kills, respectively.
 
The set saw seven ties and three lead changes overall, with one of the ties coming at 21-21 off the strength of an Elizabeth Phillips kill for B-CU. A Williams attack error for FAMU put the Cats in front at 22-21, before a Watts kill ensued to tie the set once again. A Watts errant swing allowed the Cats a 23-22 edge before the Odenton, Maryland, senior claimed one of her set-high seven kills moments later to knot the score at 23-all.
 
Consecutive kills from Sanford tied the match with a 25-23 set win for the visiting Rattlers.
 
Three different Wildcats had three kills apiece in the third set, but Sanford and Watts powered the Rattlers, as Williams added two blocks and four different FAMU players had blocks of their own.
 
A Price kill for the Wildcats tied the set at 15-15.
 
But FAMU would use a 7-2 run as a kill from Sanford and a Bryshanna Brown service ace started the run. Williams and Watts followed with kills, coupled around a B-CU attack error, allowing the Rattlers to step ahead at 22-17. FAMU libero Tinons Galmes had a service ace, and Williams closed the set with a kill for the 25-23 score line.
 
The fourth set saw FAMU hit a match-high .368 while holding the hosts to just a .024 clip.
 
Watts paced all players for the Rattlers with seven kills in the frame, and Farah Farooq supplied her side with three blocks.
 
FAMU was led on the night by Watts' 20-kill performance, followed nicely by Sanford with 15 kills of her own. Makenzie Taylor distributed a match-high 36 assists. Galmes recorded a match-high 26 digs, while Farooq added five blocks (four assisted).
 
For Bethune-Cookman, it was Phillips, Price and Robinson each tallying nine kills in the loss. Mecca Freeman added eight kills. Setter Alisha Callender had 20 assists, and Nola Hemphill posted 16. Both B-CU liberos – Rylee Davis and Sydni Poston, had 14 digs each. Callender added 12 digs to complete her double-double.
 
The Cats look to bounce back in their next match a week from now on Friday, Nov. 15, as B-CU welcomes SWAC opponent Mississippi Valley State to Moore Gymnasium at 6 p.m.
 
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