PRAIRIE VIEW, TX -- In an exhilarating league clash on Sunday, Prairie View A&M University's volleyball team edged out Southern University in a nail-biting five sets, triumphing 3-2. Prairie View A&M showcased a blend of resilience and tactical finesse at their home court, reaffirming their standing with this significant victory.
Riding off an aggressive start, Prairie View A&M dominated the first two sets with scores of 25-9 and 25-16, respectively. Southern U., known as the Jaguars, mounted a formidable comeback in the third and fourth sets, both ending at 25-22, as they leveled the competition. The final and decisive set saw Prairie View clinching the match with a 15-8 scoreline, bolstered by an ace from Kylee Owens that sealed their victory.
Significant performances came from Owens, who not only had 14 kills but also contributed 22 digs and delivered crucial aces including the match winner. Janyah Henderson and D'Mya Hill were also monumental, with Hill being a powerful force in blocking alongside Kiersten Atkinson.
In response to the evening's intensity, sophomore Janyah Henderson remarked, "We didn't focus and got too relaxed in sets three and four. We are going to have to keep up the momentum and take advantage of the other teams' mistakes and fight all the way through."
Head Volleyball Coach Cheri Lindsay shared her perspective on the match's swings in momentum, "We struggled during the third set and allowed Southern back into the match. Changed the line up just a bit, but I am glad to see we had resilience to win the match. Now we will focus on our next home match vs. Alcorn Monday at 6:30 pm."
With this win, Prairie View A&M's volleyball team's record improves to 5-11, and 2-0 in the SWAC, positioning them for continued success as they prepare for their forthcoming match against Alcorn State on Greek Night at the Baby Dome.
The Lady Panthers were led by a double-double from Owens, who registered 14 kills and 22 digs on the day. Janyah Henderson also added 10 kills to help the attack.Owens also pitched in with five in the contest. On the defensive end, Jaqueline Nino chipped in for with 17 digs to go with four blocks from Henderson.
Game Notes
» Prairie View A&M had three players in double figures in digs.
» Owens had a match-high five aces in the win.
» Owens registered a double-double with 14 kills and 22 digs
» Prairie View A&M never trailed on the way to winning the first set 25-9.
» Prairie View A&M served up five aces on the way to a first-set victory.
» Prairie View A&M never trailed on the way to winning the second set 25-15.
» Prairie View A&M never trailed on the way to winning the fourth set 15-8.
» Owens had a match-high 14 kills for Prairie View A&M.
» Prairie View A&M got a match-high 22 digs from Owens.
» Prairie View A&M attackers were helped by a team-high 19 assists from Leah Lawson.
How It Happened
SET 1 | The Lady Panthers grabbed control on the first point and never looked back to secure the first set 25-9. Prairie View A&M opened up its biggest lead, 16 points, to finish off the set. Prairie View A&M also supplemented their offense with five aces in the opening set.
SET 2 | After their win in the first set, Prairie View A&M put themselves on the cusp of a sweep with a 25-15 victory in set number two. The Lady Panthers scored first and never trailed in the set to earn the victory. Prairie View A&M opened its biggest lead of the stanza, 10 points, to finish off the set.
SET 3 | Southern avoided a sweep with a set-three victory to make it a 2-1 match. The Lady Panthers came up short by the score of 25-22. Prairie View A&M trailed by as many as six points as Southern grabbed the advantage for good at 13-12 in a set that was tied up eight times before the Lady Jaguars took over the lead.
SET 4 | Prairie View A&M then dropped their second straight set 25-21 to brind the match level at two sets apiece. The Lady Panthers trailed by as many as seven points as Southern grabbed the advantage for good at 3-2 and Prairie View A&M was never able to recover in a set that was knotted up two times before the Lady Jaguars took over the lead.
SET 5 | Prairie View A&M needed a fifth set to secure victory. After they jumped out to an early two sets to none lead, Southern responded to take the third and fourth sets before the Lady Panthers finished off their victory with a 15-8 fifth-set win. The Lady Panthers led from the opening point on in the fifth set to secure the victory. Prairie View A&M ended on a high note, opening its biggest lead of the stanza, seven points, to finish off the set, collecting 10 kills in the set.
Follow the women's volleyball team for the latest news and information on the Prairie View A&M athletics web page at pvpanthers.com, as well as on Twitter and Instagram sports account (@pvamupanthers) and Facebook (Prairie View A&M Panther Athletic).
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