PRAIRIE VIEW, Tex. – Bethune-Cookman volleyball has reached its final road trip of the season with contests against Prairie View A&M and Texas Southern set to take place Friday and Sunday.

With the SWAC Tournament on the horizon, the Wildcats will look to stack wins in order to improve their seeding. B-CU currently sits in a tie for fourth with Jackson State, but could climb to as high as second depending on how the weekend shakes out across the league. 


 
Game #1
Friday, November 6
Opponent: Prairie View A&M (9-16, 9-3)
Time: 7 p.m. EST
Location: Praire View, Tex. | William J. Nicks Building
Watch: Click here
Live Stats: Click here

Game #2
Sunday, November 8
Opponent: Texas Southern (8-16, 7-5 SWAC)
Location: Houston, Tex. | H&PE Arena
Time: 1 p.m. EST
Watch: Click here 
Live Stats: Click here

 

Led by strong performances by Alaya Rhodes and Moriah Johnson, the Wildcats defeated the Hornets 3-0 at Lockhart Gymnasium.

The first set was back-and-forth until the very end, when Bethune-Cookman (12-10, 8-4) came up with the run they needed to clinch the victory.

An attack error by Alaya Rhodes made it 20-19 in favor of Alabama State. But the Wildcats would score six of the next seven points, getting kills from four different players to win 25-21.

The second set was more of the same, as neither team was able to gain much separation on the scoreboard.

The Hornets had a chance to win the set, going up 24-23 after a kill from Amaya Robinson. Once again though, it was Bethune-Cookman who came up with three straight points to snatch the victory.

Set three saw both teams go on multiple short scoring bursts, but no one could sustain a lead. Alabama State put themselves in position to win again, with a 23-21 lead.

But for the third time, B-CU had answers when they needed them the most. Rhodes along with Kylynn White and Moriah Johnson picked up kills as part of 5-1 scoring run to finish out the sweep.
 

Prairie View A&M
Prairie View currently sits one spot above the Wildcats in the SWAC standings at 9-3. The team's three conference losses have come against Alabama A&M, Jackson State, and Texas Southern.

The Panthers are a solid offensive team, sitting third in the SWAC with a .193 team hitting percentage. Iyonna Sherwood ranks eighth in the SWAC and leads the team with 223 kills.

Defensively, PVAMU is placed third in total blocks with 177.0 (only Florida A&M and Alabama A&M have more). Valencia Wilder and Jade Smith are each in the top 10 with 78 blocks and 56 blocks, respecitvely.

Texas Southern
Texas Southern is 7-5 in conference play, sitting in a tie for sixth with Grambling State. They are coming off a 1-1 road trip in which they swept Alcorn and fell to Southern in four sets.

Statistically, the Tigers have been below average on offense and defense. They rank ninth in points, eighth in assists, ninth in blocks, and sixth in opponent hitting percentage.

Lauren Battle leads the team offensively with 235.0 points and 209 kills, while Keagan St. Junious tops the lineup with 209 digs.




Bethune-Cookman is 3-4 against the Panthers all-time but have emerged victorious in the last two meetings.

The Wildcats have dominated Texas Southern with an 8-2 record against them.

 
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