FORT VALLEY, Ga. – The Fort Valley State University Lady Wildcats delivered an impressive performance Friday afternoon, October 23, earning a 3-0 sweep over the Benedict College Lady Tigers at the Health and Physical Education Complex. The victory marked a strong response for Fort Valley State following its previous matchup against Benedict, improving the Lady Wildcats' overall record to 10-13 and 9-6 in SIAC conference play.
Fort Valley State came out determined to protect its home court, securing the opening set 25-23 before battling through a competitive second set to claim a 26-24 victory. The Lady Wildcats carried that momentum into the third set, overcoming an early deficit and taking control down the stretch to close out the match 25-16.
Dakotah Holmes led the Lady Wildcats offensively, recording a team-high nine kills on an outstanding .500 hitting percentage while also contributing a match-high 15 digs. Holmes' all-around performance helped establish consistency on both sides of the court.
Setter Reagan Mann continued to demonstrate her leadership, distributing 26 assists while adding two service aces and four digs. Jalayah Hamby provided a strong presence at the net, finishing with five kills and three total blocks, while Mashayla Collins contributed five kills, six digs and a solo block.
Defensively, Naoma Yancey played an important role with 10 digs, three assists and a service ace. Brooke Matthewsstrengthened the Lady Wildcats' front line with three total blocks, while Caytlyn Sanford and Ce'Mone Jose each added five kills to the offensive effort.
As a team, Fort Valley State finished with 36 kills, 34 assists, 43 digs, five service aces and eight total blocks. The Lady Wildcats held Benedict to a .055 hitting percentage, demonstrating their defensive intensity throughout the contest.
The victory showcased Fort Valley State's resilience, teamwork and determination as the Lady Wildcats continue their push through SIAC conference competition. With another conference victory secured, Fort Valley State looks to build on its momentum and finish the season strong.
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ABOUT THE SOUTHERN INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE (SIAC)
The SIAC is an NCAA athletic conference consisting primarily of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) headquartered in downtown Atlanta, Georgia. The SIAC includes 15 member institutions (Albany State University, Allen University, Benedict College, Central State University, Clark Atlanta University, Edward Waters University, Fort Valley State University, Kentucky State University, Lane College, LeMoyne-Owen College, Miles College, Morehouse College, Savannah State University, Spring Hill College and Tuskegee University), which are located within a contiguous seven-state footprint (Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee and Ohio). The SIAC sponsors nine men's and eight women's sports and is a proud member of NCAA Division II. For more information, visit www.thesiac.com.