(Courtesy of the Southwestern Athletic Conference)

BATON ROUGE, La. - Alabama A&M knocked off Prairie View A&M 3-2 during an elimination match Saturday afternoon at the Horace Moody Complex. Set scores include: 25-23, 25-18, 27-25, 25-17 and 15-7.

Prairie View A&M  (9-19) entered the elimination match after falling to Alabama State during match 4 and Alabama A&M now (13-19) was defeated by Southern University earlier today at the Cliford Seymour Gymnasium.

Prairie View's Candyce Alexander led the match with a triple double, 16 kills, 24 assists and 11 digs. Alabama A&M's Kyanna Sales led the team in kills with a total of 26.  Megan Butler recorded 46 assists and Ashundria McNeal led the team in digs with 20.

The first set of the match was back and forth action between both teams.  The score was tied most of the set, but an error by Prairie View gave Alabama A&M a one point lead,16-15, forcing PVAM to take a timeout. A service error by Callie Percival tied the score once again, but the Bulldogs would not let that hinder them as they went on a 4-0 run, pushing the score 21-17. A massive kill from A&M's Kyanna Sales would put them only three points from a set victory, 22-18. Several errors by the Bulldogs would give the Panthers hope, cutting the lead to only one point. Following a service error from Chandler Bacon would make it match point for Alabama A&M. Unexpectedly, Kyanna Sales would return a service error, but a kill from Ashundria McNeal would allow AAMU to take the first set win, 25-23.

Continuing with the second set, both teams proved to be determined for a win. Eventually, Prairie View would take a 10-5 lead. An error from the Bulldogs would give PVAMU a 23-16 lead.  A double hit error from Mariah Cox sends Alabama A&M to requesting a timeout to regroup with being down five points. The Panthers would not let up and went on to winning the second set 25-18.

Megan Butler started things off in the third set for the Bulldogs with a service ace.  Alabama A&M lead by five points, 20-15, until Prairie View capitalized on their errors, cutting the lead, 20-18. A kill from Candyce Alexander would tie the set 24-24.  The teams rallied back and forth but an error from Sales would give the Panthers the win, 27-25.

Alabama A&M set the tone for the fourth set.  They jumped out on PVAM with an 8-2 lead, causing Prairie View to take a timeout.  After a blocking error from AAMU, the lead was cut to three points, 14-11, the Bulldogs way. Alabama A&M would go on to increase the lead to 20-12.  After a kill, the Bulldogs would be up for set point. Robyn Hancock would produce a kill, claiming the set for Alabama A&M, 25-17.

The Bulldogs went on a 4-1 run starting the fifth and final set off. An error from PVAM would give AAMU a 15-7 final set victory eliminating Prairie View A&M from the 2014 Women's Volleyball Tournament.

ALABAMA STATE 3, PVAMU 0
Reigning East Champions, Alabama State University women's volleyball team (15-17) swept No. 4 seed Prairie View, 3-0 (25-22, 25-21, 25-20) Saturday afternoon at the Horace Moody Complex.

Prairie View A&M got things started with a 5-1 start. The Hornets would not give in. Brooke Beasley answered momentarily with a kill, cutting the Lady Panther's lead 10-9.  Shortly afterwards, Rachel Smith attacked the ball and provided another kill for Alabama State.  Coming back from a timeout, ASU tied the score from an error by Prairie View.  After an impressive block, the Hornets took the first lead of the set, 14-13. The momentum soon switched after a service ace from ASU's Myla Marshall. PVAMU wouldn't let that last long when Candyce Alexander connected with the ball and produced a shocking kill, that tied the score for the fifth time during the first set.  A block from the Hornets would put them up by two, 23-21, but an error would give the Panthers a point, forcing ASU to call a timeout to regroup. Alabama State returned with a kill, going for set point.  With a block from Marshall, the Hornets would claim the first set, 25-21.

Going into set number two, PVAM would set the tone once again, causing ASU to make several errors.  Briana Dorsey responded back for the Hornets with a kill and a block, putting them up by two points, 4-2. After a great rally back and forth, Alabama State's Amber Bennet ended it with a kill, tying the score 8-8. PVAMU would soon take the lead, 13-9.  A service ace from Rachel Smith tied the score again at 15-15.  ASU then took their first lead off an error from the Panthers and another service ace from Smith, pushing their lead by two , 17-15. Chelsey Scott stepped up and connected on three kills back to back giving the Hornets a 23-19 lead. A kill from Tiara Kelly would secure ASU the second set of the match.

Brooke Beasley got things started in the third set with a service ace and scoring the first three points for Alabama State.  Briana Dorsey would soon lead the Hornets to set and match point after a kill. After a few errors from ASU, Prairie View looked to come from behind but ASU would not let that happen.  A final kill from Kelly would assure the match for Alabama State University.

Beasley finished with 25 assists for ASU while Paige Chuidian would lead PVAM with 17.  Marshall had a hitting percentage of .692, the best of both teams.