Florida A&M

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – LaDonna Trantham and Sydney Whitfield combined for 26 kills Saturday evening as Florida A&M Volleyball fell 3-1 to Coastal Carolina inside Swisher Gymnasium as part of day two action in the Dolphin Volleyball Classic presented by Hampton Inn East Regency hosted by Jacksonville University in Jacksonville, Florida. The Rattlers dropped the match on scores of 21-25, 30-28, 11-25, 16-25.
 
After dropping the opening set, Florida A&M (2-3) answered to knot the match at one set apiece on the strength of seven kills coming off the swing of Sydney Whitfield in the second frame.
 
The Rattlers ran out to a 9-4 advantage with a Bengisu Kazazlar service ace, as well as two kills apiece from LaDonna Trantham and Whitfield, respectfully.
 
Coastal Carolina (3-2) rallied to tie the set 12-12 behind kills from Amarah Johnson and Talia Johnson.
 
The sides traded points on the next four serves, until FAMU rolled off three consecutive points for an 18-15 lead with another Kazazlar service ace and a ball-handling error charged to the Chanticleers. The lead would swell to 20-16 when Whitfield pounded a kill down the middle.
 
However, CCU would respond multiple times as Johnson stamped three of her seven kills in the set down the stretch, eventually pushing the frame into overtime. Hatteras Welker and Natalie Hughes partnered for six kills to even the set at 28-28.
 
But it would be Whitfield's kill off the set of Makenzie Taylor – followed by a Whitfield service ace, to give the Orange and Green the set victory, 30-28.
 
In the third set, CCU hit its best percentage of the night with a 42.9 percent clip, amassing 15 kills on 28 swings. In the set, once again, Johnson recorded seven kills, while the Rattlers were limited to a match-low (-.029) hitting mark in the frame.
 
FAMU looked to draw even once again early-on in the fourth set.
 
A Trantham kill was added to a service error charged to the Chanticleers, as well as blocks coming from the Rattlers' duo of Taylor and Tamia Coleman, as FAMU went ahead 8-3. Whitfield's kill allowed the Rattlers to step ahead 10-7, before CCU embarked on a 6-1 run off the play of Hughes and Amarah Johnson – supplying kills and blocks, to push ahead 13-11.
 
Hughes amassed five kills in the fourth set alongside Anzley Rinard's five kills, allowing the Chanticleers to close the match courtesy the 25-16 decision.
 
CCU was paced by the offensive play of a match-high 17 kills from Johnson, with Hughes registering 13 kills of her own in the process. Hughes also added four assisted blocks, while Johnson stamped a match-high seven blocks (five assisted) for her side. Kaylee Musick passed out a match-high 43 assists with 11 digs to collect a double-double.
 
As for FAMU, the Orange and Green were led by Trantham's 14-kill, 11-dig night to pick up her double-double – her first of the 2026 campaign. Whitfield chipped in a double-digit kills effort with 12. Farah Farooq supplied three blocks (two assisted) alongside teammate Taylor with three assisted blocks. Taylor, the Rattlers setter, also had 30 assists and seven digs.
 
Florida A&M looks to bounce back Sunday when the Rattlers face off against the host Jacksonville Dolphins back at Swisher Gym at 2 p.m.
 
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