Florida A&M opened Southwestern Athletic Conference play with a 3-1 victory over the Alabama State Lady Hornets on Sept. 25 at Lawson Multipurpose Center and Teaching Gymnasium in Tallahassee. Florida A&M won by set scores of 25-14, 22-25, 25-16 and 25-22. The victory improved Florida A&M’s record to 6-8 overall and 1-0 in SWAC play.
Sydney Whitfield led Florida A&M with 25 kills and 10 digs for a double-double. Ladonna Trantham added 13 kills, while Bengisu Kazazlar recorded a team-high 30 assists. Florida A&M hit .405 as a team, compared with Alabama State’s .194.
Florida A&M Takes Early Control
Florida A&M took the first set from the opening point and never trailed in a 25-14 win. The team opened its largest lead at 11 points and added three aces in the set. Florida A&M also recorded four blocks in the opening frame.
Alabama State answered in the second set with a 25-22 victory, tying the match at one set apiece. Florida A&M still produced a .419 attack percentage and 15 kills in the set. The Alabama State Lady Hornets secured the deciding points to even the match.
Florida A&M regained the lead with a 25-16 third-set victory. The team opened a 21-11 advantage and finished the set with a .394 attack percentage and 17 kills. The win put Florida A&M ahead two sets to one.
Whitfield Leads Florida A&M’s Statistical Effort
Whitfield supplied the match’s top offensive performance with 25 kills while also recording a team-high 10 digs. Her double-double led Florida A&M on both sides of the net. Trantham’s 13 kills provided additional production for the offense.
Florida A&M also received contributions from its defense and service game. Farah Farooq recorded four blocks and a team-high three aces, while Kelly Kelsick finished with nine digs. Kazazlar’s 30 assists helped direct Florida A&M’s .405 team hitting performance.
Florida A&M controlled the fourth set from the beginning and completed the match with a 25-22 win. The team took a 1-0 lead and opened a nine-point advantage at 10-1. Florida A&M finished the set with 19 kills and only two attack errors.
What Comes Next
Florida A&M is scheduled to play Alabama A&M next at noon. The match will follow the team’s 1-0 start in SWAC play. Florida A&M enters the next contest after combining Whitfield’s double-double with strong team hitting and contributions across the stat sheet.
FSB Take
Florida A&M’s response after dropping the second set secured the SWAC-opening victory. Whitfield provided the central performance with 25 kills and 10 digs, while the team’s .405 hitting percentage showed the effectiveness of its attack. Farooq’s blocks and aces, Kazazlar’s assists and the defensive contributions from Whitfield and Kelsick rounded out the four-set win.
Source: Original report