JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Edward Waters University women's volleyball team continued its strong run through Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) play on Tuesday evening, securing a convincing 3-1 (25-12, 25-21, 13-25, 25-12) victory over Fort Valley State University inside the Adams-Jenkins Complex.
The victory marked the Lady Tigers' third win in their last four matches, and their eighth win out their last 10, improving their overall record to 10-8 and 9-4 in SIAC competition, while Fort Valley State dropped to 7-13 overall and 6-6 in conference play.
Edward Waters wasted little time establishing control of the contest, dominating the opening set with a 25-12 victory. The Lady Tigers held the Wildcats to a -.152 hitting percentage in the frame while connecting on 10 kills to take an early 1-0 advantage.
The second set proved more competitive, featuring 10 ties and four lead changes as Fort Valley State battled to even the match. However, Edward Waters maintained its composure and pulled away for a 25-21 victory behind 14 kills to extend its lead to two sets.
Fort Valley State responded in the third frame, producing its strongest offensive performance of the evening. The Wildcats recorded 14 kills and a .480 hitting percentage to claim the set 25-13 and force a fourth frame.
The Lady Tigers quickly regained control in the fourth set, delivering their most efficient offensive performance of the match. Edward Waters registered 13 kills against just three errors for a blistering .435 hitting percentage, while holding Fort Valley State to six kills and a .095 hitting percentage. The Lady Tigers cruised to another 25-12 set victory to close out the match.
Heylianis Aquino spearheaded the Edward Waters offensive attack, finishing with a match-high 13 kills on a .423 hitting percentage, while adding 13 digs and three service aces to complete a double-double.
Norah Laurore delivered an impressive all-around performance, contributing 10 kills, two solo blocks and four block assists to help anchor the Lady Tigers' presence at the net.
Brooklyn Jones added nine kills, five digs, two service aces and a solo block, while Jewel Helmuth chipped in seven kills and four digs.
Zakiyyah Abdul provided a strong defensive presence, recording five kills on an outstanding .500 hitting percentage, along with one solo block and five block assists.
Fresh off earning her second consecutive SIAC Setter of the Week honor, Naraiya Thompson continued to direct the Edward Waters offense, dishing out a match-high 36 assists, while contributing eight digs and a service ace.
Defensively, Ayanna Blocker added 10 digs, while senior libero Dimaliz Figueroa collected nine digs and a service ace to help secure the victory.
As a team, Edward Waters finished with 44 kills, a .239 hitting percentage, 40 assists, seven service aces, 57 digs and 10 total team blocks. The Lady Tigers limited Fort Valley State to a .104 hitting percentage and 38 kills.
Fort Valley State was led by Dakotah Holmes, who finished with 11 kills and 13 digs, while Tanyla Farley contributed 10 kills. Reagan Mann directed the Wildcat's offense with 32 assists.
The victory gives Edward Waters its second consecutive win and continued momentum as the Lady Tigers enter another important stretch of conference competition.
The Lady Tigers will now hit the road for a SIAC showdown against Albany State University, looking to extend their winning streak and continue climbing the conference standings.
FOLLOW THE TIGERS
For complete coverage of Edward Waters University Athletics, follow the Tigers on social media @EWU_Athletics (Twitter), /EWUTigers (Facebook) and @EWU_Athletics (Instagram) or visit the official home of Edward Waters Athletics at EWUTigerPride.com.
FOLLOW THE SIAC
Stay connected by following the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference on Facebook, Instagram and X @TheSIAC.
SIAC NEWS
Sign up for SIAC News to be among the first to receive media releases, updates and more!
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.