PRAIRIE VIEW, TX -- The Prairie View A&M Lady Panthers faced a challenging league bout against the Florida A&M Rattlers, ultimately falling with a score of 0-3 in their volleyball clash on Friday night.
The Lady Panthers showed grit across three hard-fought sets but were unable to overcome the strong play of the Rattlers. The Lady Panthers opened the encounter with a 14-25 loss in the first set. They increased their resistance in the subsequent sets, scoring 18 points each in the second and third sets, but Florida A&M matched their intensity to close each one at 25-18.
In the individual performances, Aliyah Levert led the Lady Panthers with nine kills, closely followed by D'Mya Hill with eight and Kylee Owens with seven. On the defensive end, Kiersten Atkinson and Iyonna Sherwood each posted two blocks, contributing significantly to the team's efforts. Owens demonstrated versatility by securing key points and leading in service aces with three and netting four digs.
Leah Lawson was pivotal in set-ups, delivering a notable 31 assists over the course of the game, withTaplin adding 16 assists. Despite the loss, the Lady Panthers showcased commendable spirit and teamwork. Levert finished with nine kills on the day to lead the Lady Panthers attack while finishing with a hitting percentage of .467. got seven digs from Leila Smalls to lead them defensively.
Looking ahead, the Prairie View A&M Lady Panthers will regroup and aim to return stronger in their next encounter scheduled for October 20, 2024, at the William J. Nicks Baby Dome in Prairie View, TX, where they will face Bethune Cookman. The Lady Panthers currently hold a 9-14 overall record with a 6-2 conference record in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC).
Game Notes
» Kylee Owens had a team-high three aces in the loss.
» Aliyah Levert had a team-high nine kills for Prairie View A&M.
» Prairie View A&M got a team-high seven digs from Leila Smalls.
» Prairie View A&M attackers were helped by a team-high 16 assists from Makinzie Taplin.
How It Happened
SET 1 | The Lady Panthers found themselves in an early hole, losing a tough first set 25-14. Prairie View A&M trailed by as many as 11 points as Florida A&M never surrendered the lead in a set that was tied up zero times before the Rattlerettes took control.
SET 2 | Prairie View A&M fell in the second set 25-18, digging a 2-0 deficit in the match. The Lady Panthers lost the first point and never clawed back into the lead before dropping the set.
SET 3 | Prairie View A&M couldn't prolong the match and lost in set number three. The Lady Panthers dropped a tough set 25-18. Prairie View A&M trailed by as many as seven points as Florida A&M grabbed the advantage for good at 13-12 in a set that was tied up seven times before the Rattlerettes took over the lead.
