Florida A&M

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – In a battle for the top spot in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Volleyball standings, Florida A&M and Alabama A&M went five sets Sunday afternoon, with the visiting Bulldogs collecting a 3-2 win from the Rattlers at Al Lawson Center in Tallahassee, Florida. The Bulldogs collected the win on scores of 21-25, 25-16, 28-26, 22-25, 15-13.
 
After collecting the fourth set 25-22, FAMU (6-9, 1-1 SWAC) twice held the lead in the decisive set, going up 3-2 and later 9-5.
 
However, Alabama A&M (9-7, 2-0 SWAC) used a steady dose of Scholar Bates, who delivered three kills in the set, to help the Bulldogs claw back in front. The Rattlers pulled within one at 13-14 on a Sanabria kill for Alabama A&M – the response came immediately, with Carys Sanabria closing out the match on the next point to seal it for the Bulldogs, 15-13.
 
Facing match point pressure in the fourth set, FAMU answered with its best hitting performance of the day, posting a .333 attack percentage behind Sydney Whitfield's six kills and LaDonna Trantham's timely swings down the stretch. A late service run from libero Kelly Kelsick, paired with a kill from Iyonnie Sanford, pushed the Rattlers to a 25-22 win that forced a fifth set and kept the upset bid alive.
 
The Rattlers collected the opening set win courtesy a 25-21 scoreline in order to step ahead early in the match.
 
With the hosts trailing 4-2 early-on, after an Alabama A&M service run forced a Bulldog timeout, the Rattlers steadied behind Farah Farooq, who scored on a kill and a service ace to open a working margin. Farooq would prove a force at the net all afternoon with a match-high eight assisted blocks.
 
The Bulldogs clawed back to tie it at 21 and 22, respectively, but back-to-back Whitfield service points – an ace and a kill on the ensuing serve – closed the set out at 25-21. Farooq (three kills, .750 hitting) and Whitfield (two kills, an ace) combined for the late surge, while Alabama A&M hit just .100 as a team in the set.
 
The visitors flipped the script in the second frame, riding Bates (four kills, .333) to a lopsided 25-16 win that evened the match.
 
The Orange and Green never found rhythm offensively, hitting -.040 for the set with as many errors (5) as kills (4). Whitfield and Kelsick kept the Rattlers within shouting distance in stretches, but a run of Alabama A&M scoring pulled the set away in the closing points.
 
Alabama A&M was led by four players in double-figures for kills, helped at the top by a 16-kill outing from Gerren Tomlin, adding 13 digs and three blocks (assisted) for her double-double. Rayishon Jackman also completed a double-double effort with 12 kills and a match-high 21 digs, but also supplying her side with a pair of service aces. Bates added 15 kills from her outside hitter position, as well as seven block assists. Bethune-Cookman transfer Amya Jennings had 12 kills of her own.
 
Sydney Whitfield paced the Rattlers' offense with 16 kills, 13 digs and two service aces – giving her four (4) double-doubles on the campaign, and her second in as many matches, respectfully. Farooq added eight kills and eight block assists. And it was Sanford and Trantham each chipping in with seven kills apiece.
 
FAMU setters Bengisu Kazazlar (14 assists) and Makenzie Taylor (17 assists) split time running the Rattlers offense, while libero Kelly Kelsick logged a team-best 16 digs.
 
FAMU is back in action next with a SWAC "Magnolia State" swing heading first to Mississippi Valley State on Friday, October 2, at 7 p.m. EDT (6 p.m. CDT) in Itta Bena, Mississippi.
 
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