HUNTSVILLE, ALa. — Florida A&M volleyball remains the only undefeated team in the Southwestern Athletic Conference. And in sweeping the competition Sunday (Oct. 9), the respective 3-0 and 3-1 decisions over Grambling State and Arkansas-Pine Bluff also extended the Rattlers' streak to 17 consecutive wins over league opponents.
FAMU 3, GSU 0 (25-17, 25-13, 25-21)
Florida A&M and Grambling State entered Sunday's match as the only unbeaten teams in SWAC play … that title now solely belongs to the Rattlers.
FAMU's dominating performance began with a 9-2 advantage, and its defense was equally impressive, as the team went on to limit the Tigers to eight kills in each of the first two sets, which also captured the fifth straight set that it held an opponent to less than 20 points. The sweep over Bethune-Cookman finished 25-14, 25-18, and 25-17.
Dominique Washington led the Rattlers with 13 kills, while Aja Jones added 11. Collectively, the team posted 47, the second most recorded in a three-setter this season.
Match highlights saw Florida A&M conclude the second set with an 8-0 run that featured four points by Jones. It trailed 5-2 at the start of the frame before embarking on a 7-0 run. And there were several ties in the third, the last at 11-all, before FAMU again pulled away for good with another unanswered rally.
FAMU 3, UAPB 1 (22-25, 25-19, 25-21, 25-16)
The Sunday finale against UAPB was more evenly played. There were quite a few ties in the opening set, 16 to be exact, and FAMU called a timeout after the Lions worked ahead, 22-20. Isis Williams and Emerald Jacobs immediately came out of the break with back-to-back kills to even the score at 22-all, but the final three points went to UAPB. It was the only set lost all day.
Neither team gained space in the second until FAMU rallied off three straight points for a 6-3 edge; it remained in front and, at one point, held a 10-point advantage en route to the 25-19 win. UAPB notched seven of the last 10 points in the second and continued its onslaught in the next set, where it managed a 7-4 lead. The score sat knotted at 19-all until UAPB recorded three straight attacking errors.
FAMU jumped out to a 15-6 edge in the final set and never looked back.
Washington again paced FAMU's offense with 15 kills to lead Brooke Lynn Watts (12) and Jones (11). Irem Ucar finished the evening with 41 assists.
Florida A&M wraps play in the first SWAC cluster Monday against Prairie View A&M. Match time is scheduled for 10 a.m. ET. / 9 a.m. CT.
