PRAIRIE VIEW, TX --The Prairie View A&M volleyball team took care of business in three sets (25-20, 25-17, 25-23) to defeat the Alabama State Lady Hornets Monday at home at Baby Dome. The conference victory improved Prairie View A&M's record to 10-15 overall and 7-3 in SWAC play.
The Lady Panthers attack was paced by Kylee Owens, who finished with 16 kills on the day while accumulating a hitting percentage of .483, and by Bailee Hewitt, who had 12 while hitting .269. got eight digs from Leila Smalls to lead them defensively. These two athletes were complemented by Janyah Henderson, who made significant contributions with 6 kills and led the defensive efforts with 2 blocks. Prairie View's intense focus and strategic plays led to set scores of 25-20, 25-17, and 25-23, demonstrating their dominance throughout the game.
Defensive plays were strong, with Leila Smalls leading the team with 8 digs, closely followed by Owens with 7, and MaKinzie Taplin rounding out the defense with 6 digs. Offensively, Prairie View showcased their sharp game by notching several aces, including two each from Owens, Taplin, and Hewitt. Rounding out the performance, MaKinzie Taplin and Tayler Ruffin facilitated the team's aggressive attacking strategy with 11 and 16 assists respectively. The key moment came in the third and final set when a decisive kill by Henderson, assisted by Ruffin, clinched the victory for Prairie View.
Game Notes
» Leila Smalls had a match-high three aces in the win.
» Prairie View A&M served up five aces on the way to a second-set victory.
» Kylee Owens had a match-high 16 kills for Prairie View A&M.
» Prairie View A&M got a team-high eight digs from Leila Smalls.
» Prairie View A&M attackers were helped by a team-high 16 assists from Tayler Ruffin.
How It Happened
SET 1 | The Lady Panthers opened up an early one set to none lead, winning the first set 25-20. Prairie View A&M grabbed the advantage for good at 14-13 in a set that had just one lead change before the Lady Panthers took over in the second half of the stanza. The Lady Panthers opening set win came in a stanza where 17 of their 25 points came via the kill.
SET 2 | After their win in the first set, Prairie View A&M put themselves on the cusp of a sweep with a 25-17 victory in set number two. The Lady Panthers grabbed control of the set lead early on at 2-1 and never looked back. Prairie View A&M led by as many as nine points at 21-12 before closing out the set. The Prairie View A&M offense also got a boost from five aces in the stanza.
SET 3 | Prairie View A&M closed the match in a 3-0 sweep after winning set three. The Lady Panthers took the lead for good at 24-23 in a set that showcased four lead changes before Prairie View A&M took over in the second half of the stanza. They then carried that lead to a 25-23 set win. The Prairie View A&M offense also got a boost from three aces in the stanza.
With this win, Prairie View A&M University now stands at 10-15 overall with a 7-3 record in the SWAC. The Panthers are preparing to take on Alabama A&M next in another crucial match scheduled to be held on October 29, at their home court, the Baby Dome.
