21st Annual Volleyball Championship Day 2 Recap
SIAC Volleyball Day 2 Recap
The 21st Annual SIAC Volleyball Championship was filled with compelling drama the entire day. All but one of the Eastern Division teams finished the day with a chance to compete for the SIAC title. The Western Division had high hopes but at the end of the day the host Kentucky State was eliminated ending their hopes for a SIAC title in a dramatic 3-1 come from behind defeat by Clark Atlanta.
#3 W (Tuskegee) 3 #4 E (Paine) 2
The Loser’s Bracket Play started the day off and in the first match of the day, Tuskegee was pushed to the brink of elimination by Paine College before pulling out a 3-2 victory. The games were a match of “Anything you can do, I can do better” with Paine taking the first game 30-26. Tuskegee would bounce back and take the second game 30-24 tying the game at 1-1. In the third game Paine jumped out to an early 5-0 lead before pulling away and taking the win 30-17. In the fourth game Tuskegee went on the early run jumping out to an 7-2 lead before winning the game 30-20. In the final and decisive match TU pulled it out winning 15-9 and thus eliminating Paine from the Tournament.
#4 W (Miles) 3 #6 W (Lane) 0
In the second match of the day Miles defeated Lane 3-0. The first two games were not close as Miles took both victories 30-17 and 30-14. In the third match Lane tried to rally but came up short as they lost 30-27. Miles was led by 1st Team All Conference, Brittany Marion, who had 11 Kills and 2 digs. Adding to the victory was Kenyona Johnson who had 10 serving aces. Miles advances to play Tuskegee in the second round of the Loser’s Bracket while Lane was eliminated from the tournament.
#2 E (Clark Atlanta) 3 #2 W (Stillman) 1
The battle of the #2’s in the conference commenced with Clark Atlanta coming out victorious 3-1 in one of the longest matches of the day. Stillman fought hard pushing CAU the entire match but came up short as the match wore on. Clark Atlanta took the first victory 30-26. Clark would take the second game 30-22 before allowing SC to take game three in convincing fashion 30-19. CAU would bounce back and take the victory 30-21 to take the victory and eliminate Stillman from the tournament. Jennifer Holman of CAU dominated the match with 19 kills and 10 digs. CAU stays alive.
#3 W (Tuskegee) 3 #4 W (Miles) 0
Miles and Tuskegee faced off after both won their opening round matches in the Loser’s Bracket with Tuskegee dismantling Miles easily 3-0. Tuskegee and Miles fresh off the high of winning played to a match point in the first game with TU pulling out the victory 32-30. In the 2nd and 3rd game it was all TU with them taking the games 30-23, 30-22. Tuskegee was led by Candace Ward who had 10 kills and Megan Gilchrist who had 25 assists.
#2 E (Clark Atlanta) 3 #5 W (LeMoyne-Owen) 0
Clark Atlanta fresh off a big victory over Stillman continued to make their way through the Western Division en route to the plea for the Championship defeating LeMoyne-Owen 3-0. Clark destroyed LOC 30-10, 30-15, 30-9 sending LOC home and eliminating them from the tournament. Maegan Thompkins for CAU bounced back from a lack luster performance in the game against Stillman with 11 kills and 1 block. CAU advances to the semi finals of the Loser’s Bracket.
#3 E (Albany State) 3 #1 W (Kentucky State) 0
Defending champion Albany State defeated Kentucky State in front of a maxed out crowd. The championship host (KSU) didn’t score more than 21 points in any games losing the match in straight sets 3-0. ASU took the victory 30-20, 30-21, 30-17. 1st Team All Conference Rachel Anderson had a game high 16 kills and 3 digs. Olivia Davis of KSU provided a spark off the bench with 8 kills which was not enough to stop the onslaught of ASU. ASU advances to the Semi finals of the Winner’s Bracket while KSU falls to the Loser’s Bracket and will face Clark Atlanta.
#4 E (Benedict) 3 #1 E (Fort Valley State) 0
An epic battle between the top teams in the East unfolded as Benedict (#4) defeated the #1 seed Fort Valley State 3-0. BC jumped out early on FVSU and took the first game 30-21. In the second game FVSU played tough but could not stop the strong attack of BC’s #3 Melinda Bastain who had 13 kills. BC would take game two 30-26 and took game three 30-28. Natasha Gray of Benedict added to the victory with 15 kills and 3 digs. The SIAC MVP had another solid game with 12 kills and 4 digs. Fort Valley State falls to the Loser’s Bracket and will face Tuskegee while Benedict will face Albany State.
#1 E (Fort Valley State) 3 #3 W (Tuskegee) 0
Fort Valley State would bounce back from an humiliating loss at the hands of Benedict to defeat Tuskegee 3-0. Fort Valley State wasted no time jumping out to a big lead and took the first game 30-23. In the second game TU would fight a little harder but still wound up losing 30-26. Fort Valley State killed all hopes of a rally jumping out to an early 12-4 lead and taking game #3, 30-16. Regular season MVP LaToya Reeves had another great game with a game high 14 kills and 2 digs. Brittany Watkins also of Fort Valley State had double digit kills (12). FVSU advances to play the winner of Clark Atlanta and host Kentucky State on Championship Friday while Tuskegee was eliminated from the tournament.
#4 E (Benedict) 3 #2 E (Albany State) 1
Once again the battle for the title will come through Albany State; however, this time Benedict College was ready and dominated the match winning 3-1. BC took the first game 30-26 but in the second game ASU would bounce back and take the game 30-20. BC would take game 3 easily 30-25 as well, but in the fourth game, ASU forced a match point but BC prevailed 32-30. Benedict’s #3 Melinda Bastian, performed magic as she led her team to the victory with 20 kills and 5 digs. In the loss ASU’s Rachel Anderson had a tournament high 23 kills. She also had 5 digs and 1 serving ace. Albany State will fall to the Loser’s Bracket and will play in the Championship game while Benedict advances to the Tournament Championship game and may face ASU again.
#2 E (Clark Atlanta) 3 #1 W (Kentucky State) 1
The #1 seed in the West, the host of the tournament, the last hope of a Western winner of the SIAC title were all eliminated after Clark Atlanta defeated KSU 3-1. Kentucky State would take the first game 30-24 but CAU took control and never let go as they took the next game 30-27. In the third game, KSU had the lead 29-28 but CAU rallied to take the victory 32-30. CAU would be led by 3 time 1st Team All Conference winner Jennifer Holman with 24 kills and 12 digs. Olivia Davis would provide a major spark for KSU in a major way with 15 kills and 4 digs. Kentucky State would be eliminated while Clark Atlanta advances to the Loser’s Bracket Semi Final to face Fort Valley State.