MEMPHIS, Tenn. — While it was Homecoming Weekend back in Wilberforce, the
Central State University women's volleyball team was busy making a statement on the road at the SIAC Crossover in Memphis. The Marauders battled through three matches, picking up two key victories to close out a strong weekend of conference play.
FRIDAY MORNING: TIGHT BATTLE WITH SAVANNAH STATE
In their opening match, Central State went toe-to-toe with Savannah State Tigers in a hard-fought four-set contest, ultimately falling 3–1 (26-24, 22-25, 21-25, 22-25).
Junior outside hitter
Maya Hendricks led the way with 18 kills, while
Zahra Coates added 13 and
Nia McGhee chipped in seven. Setter
Brooke Morris dished out 27 assists and added two service aces, while libero
Johanna Holston anchored the defense with 19 digs.
The Marauders held their own at the net with 10 total team blocks, including three each from
Braelynn Reese,
Jasmin Churchill, and McGhee. Savannah State narrowly edged CSU in hitting percentage, .204 to .161, to take the match.
FRIDAY AFTERNOON: MARAUDERS SWEEP CLARK ATLANTA
The Marauders responded quickly in their second match of the day, sweeping Clark Atlanta Panthers 3–0 (25-17, 25-18, 25-21).
CSU controlled the pace from start to finish behind Hendricks (10 kills), Reese (9), and Coates (7). Morris recorded 25 assists, while Holston and Morris each served up four aces to give Central State a boost from the service line. Churchill led the blocking effort with five total blocks.
The Marauders hit .204 as a team while holding Clark Atlanta to a negative hitting percentage.
SATURDAY MORNING: STATEMENT WIN OVER ALLEN
CSU closed the weekend strong with a 3–1 victory over Allen Yellow Jackets (25-20, 25-15, 14-25, 25-16).
Hendricks turned in another standout performance with 16 kills, while Coates tallied 10 and Reese added nine. Morris recorded 22 assists,
Nevaeh Brownlee chipped in 13, and Coates led the team with 11 digs.
The Marauders dominated from the service line with seven aces, including three from Coates, and capitalized on Allen's offensive errors to secure the match.
WEEKEND HIGHLIGHTS
- Record Update: Central State improves to 8–7 overall and 5–5 in SIAC play.
- Leaders: Hendricks posted a combined 44 kills over the weekend. Holston led the defense with 41 total digs. Morris tallied 74 assists across the three matches.
- Team Impact: CSU hit above .200 in both wins and held opponents to negative or neutral hitting percentages in those victories.
NEXT UP
Central State will welcome Cincinnati-Clermont to Beacom/Lewis Gymnasium Wednesday, Oct. 15, at 6 p.m. ET. Follow live updates at maraudersports.com.
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ABOUT THE SOUTHERN INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE (SIAC)
The SIAC is a NCAA athletic conference consisting primarily of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) with headquarters 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 seven women's sports and is a proud member of the NCAA Division II. For more information, visit www.thesiac.com.