TALAHASSEE, Fla. – Bethune-Cookman volleyball will take its 3-1 conference record into its toughest stretch of the season, as they will play three SWAC games in a five-day span. The slate begins with a difficult road test against preseason favorite Florida A&M, followed by home matchups against Grambling State and Arkansas - Pine Bluff at Moore Gymnasium.


 
Game #1
Wednesday, October 7
Opponent: Florida A&M (9-9, 3-1 SWAC)
Time: 6 p.m.
Location: Talahassee, Fla. | Al Lawson Center
Watch: Click here
Live Stats: Click here

Game #2
Friday, October 9
Opponent: Grambling State (6-8, 3-0)
Time: 6 p.m.
Location: Daytona Beach, Fla. | Moore Gymnasium
Watch: Click here
Live Stats: Click here

Game #3
Sunday, October 11
Opponent: Arkansas - Pine Bluff (3-14, 0-3 SWAC)
Time: 12 p.m.
Location: Daytona Beach, Fla. | Moore Gymnasium
Watch: Click here
Live Stats: Click here

 

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 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.

Florida A&M
Like the Wildcats, the Rattlers are off to a 3-1 start in SWAC play, with their lone setback coming at the hands of Alabama A&M at home. They have yet to sweep a SWAC opponent this season, having earned four-set victories over Alabama State, Mississippi Valley State, and Jackson State.

The preseason favorite are one of the most lethal offensive teams in the SWAC. They rank first in the conference in points, and second in hitting percentage, assists, and kills (Alabama A&M is first in all three categories).

The Rattlers are led offensively by All-SWAC Preseason First Team honoree LaDonna Trantham,, who leads the SWAC in kills per set (3.28) and sits second in total kills. Her teammate, Sydney Whitfield, was named to the Second Team and ranks first in the league in kills with 228.

FAMU is also one of the best blocking teams in the SWAC, sitting first in total blocks and blocks per set by a wide margin. Second Team selection Farah Farooq along with Tamia Coleman have formed the best blocking duo in the league, currently placing first and second in the league in the same categories.

One weak point for the Rattlers has been service aces. They are currently twelfth in the league in opponent service aces allowed. Only Arkansas - Pine Bluff and Mississippi Valley State have been worse.

Grambling State
The Tigers are also off to an excellent start in conference play, currently sporting the best record at 3-0. They began play with sweeps over Alcorn and Southern and have also defeated Arkansas - Pine Bluff in four sets. Grambling was chosen to finish ninth in the preseason poll.

GSU ranks toward the top of the league offensively and defensively. Lamar transfer Lyric Jordan has been one of the league's top outside hitters, sitting seventh in the SWAC in points total kills.

Junior Asialin Powell ranks third in the SWAC with 230 digs and is averaging 4.79 per set. As a team, the Tigers have the highest digs per set average but are also allowing the most digs per set.

The Tigers have four plays with at least 20 total blocks this season. Rihianna Brown leads the way with 28, including an eight-block performance against Nicholls.

Arkansas - Pine Bluff
Pine Bluff has stumbled to a 3-14 record thus far this season, with just two wins over Division I opponents. They are 0-3 in SWAC play, including losses to Southern, Alcorn, and Grambling. The Golden Lions were picked to place 11th out of 12 teams in the SWAC Preseason Poll

UAPB is one of three teams to not receive any SWAC preseason honors (Mississippi Valley State and Texas Southern are the others). Senior Ashanti Butler leads the team with 147.0 points and 117 kills on the year. She also sits fifth in the SWAC in total blocks.

Overall, the Golden Lions have been one of the worst offenses in the SWAC, sitting in the bottom three in points, kills, hitting percentage, and assists. Defensively, UAPB is seventh in opponent hitting percentage, eighth in opponent kills, and eighth in digs.




Florida A&M has historically dominated Bethune-Cookman, with a 66-7 record all-time. The Wildcats were able to break a 10-game losing streak against the Rattlers last season at Moore Gymnasium in a four-set stunner.

The Wildcats have faced the Tigers just seven times in program history. B-CU has won the previous four matchups in a row to take a 4-3 series lead.

Against UAPB, the Wildcats are 4-1, including wins in the last four meetings.


 
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