Bethune-Cookman University Athletics

ITTA BENA, Miss. – Nine Wildcats finished with at least one kill in a dominant three-set sweep over Mississippi Valley State at the Harrison HPER Complex. Bethune-Cookman has now won three-straight, its longest winning streak of the season, and is off to a 3-1 start in SWAC play for the second time in the last three campaigns.
 

Bethune-Cookman (7-7, 3-1) never trailed in the opening set, getting off to an early 4-0 lead and never looking back. The Delta Devils (1-13, 0-5) cut the deficit to three but were unable to close the gap, dropping the set 25-15.

The Wildcats hit .333 as a team while holding Mississippi Valley State to a .061 hitting percentage with six errors.

The second set went back and forth at the beginning, with B-CU committing several early attack errors. After the game was tied at five, the Wildcats were able to maintain a slight lead throughout, but the Devils remained in striking distance.

Eventually, Bethune-Cookman was able to come up with the run they needed, outscoring MVSU 10-4 to close out the 25-17 set victory. The Wildcats won despite hitting just .189 and recording zero blocks.

MVSU took and early 4-1 lead in the third set, but momentum quickly shifted back the other way. The Wildcats would outscore the Delta Devils 25-6 the rest of the way, holding them to five kills on 32 total attacks.

• Alaya Rhodes led the way with 12 kills, hitting .310 while also recording eight digs.
• Aaniya Thornton finished with a team-high 11 digs, her second straight game with 10+.
• Nola Hemphill had 11 assists with zero errors.
• As a team, the Wildcats finished with nine service aces, a season high.
• Bethune-Cookman finished with just three total blocks, its lowest total in a win this season.