HAMPTON, Va. -- Florida A&M closed out the opening day of the Hampton Invitational with a sweep of host Hampton, winning 25-20, 25-18, 25-13 Friday night after dropping its tournament opener to East Carolina.

The Rattlers (1-1) showcased balance and resilience, hitting .314 against Hampton while recording 13 blocks and holding the Pirates to a -.134 attack percentage. Senior middle blocker Iyonnie Sanford finished with eight kills and five blocks, and freshman setter Bengisu Kazazlar added 46 assists. Sydney Whitfield tallied nine kills, Farah Farooq chipped in seven, and libero Dylan Hoskins collected 16 digs.

Florida A&M vs. Hampton
Set 1 — FAMU 25, Hampton 20: Florida A&M opened strong, hitting .308 in the frame with multiple hitters contributing to steady offense.
Set 2 — FAMU 25, Hampton 18: The Rattlers' attack surged to a .429 hitting percentage, led by Sanford and Tamia Coleman combining for six kills.
Set 3 — FAMU 25, Hampton 13: Florida A&M dominated defensively, posting six team blocks in the final set to complete the sweep.

Florida A&M vs. East Carolina
Earlier in the day, East Carolina swept Florida A&M 25-19, 25-18, 25-23. Sanford paced the Rattlers with 12 kills, and Kazazlar added 28 assists and 12 digs.

Set 1 — ECU 25, FAMU 19: Sanford led the attack with five kills on .273 hitting as FAMU stayed close early.
Set 2 — ECU 25, FAMU 18: Hoskins recorded five digs in the set to steady the defense against the Pirates' pressure.
Set 3 — ECU 25, FAMU 23: Yaricel Rodriguez broke out with seven kills, helping FAMU hit .257 in its closest set of the match.

Florida A&M continues Hampton Invitational play Saturday at noon versus Maryland Eastern Shore.