Win over Kentucky State highlights Cluster performance
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TUSKEGEE, Ala. -- The Miles volleyball team was in another rut entering the SIAC Western Division Cluster, trying to find some type of spark that would propel it towards some consistency in this first season under head coach
Tiffany Hunter.
The Lady Bears may have found that ignition switch in their final matches during their two days of competition. After an outstanding five-set win over Central State that saw Miles recover from a 2-0 hole, the team gained its most significant win to date, a four-set victory over Kentucky State, which is perennially one of the top teams in the league. The win was also a landmark because it helped the Lady Bears (8-16, 6-10 SIAC) match its overall and conference win totals from a year ago, with two more conference matches and five total matches remaining before the SIAC Tournament next month.
Against the Marauders, Miles played well in the opening set but on serve with a 22-20 advantage, three errors contributed to CSU coming back to win 25-23. The second set saw the Lady Bears make 10 attack errors in a 25-18 loss and a sweep to a team that's only win on the season was against Miles last month, another humiliating defeat seemed on the horizon.
But, as if a light finally came on, Miles dominated the remainder of the way. The Lady Bears opened the third set on a 12-1 run en route to an easy win, never trailed in the fourth set, and allowed just one kill in a 15-7 win in the final set to take the match.
Skyler Johnson had 13 kills and three blocks (one solo),
Briana Brown hit .333 (8-2-18) with three blocks and 11 digs, and
Kayla Ford had 36 assists, six aces, six digs and three kills.
Tealla Shepard also added 10 digs.
Kentucky State controlled the first match between the two teams in last month's cluster and the Lady Bears had not even won a set against the Thorobrettes since at least 2010. When KSU won the first set 25-15, that ran the streak of futility to 41 consecutive sets. But things finally turned in favor of the Golden Bears in the second set.Â
Miles won the first five points but would lead just 19-18 as KSU fought back. But kills by Brown and
Alexus Moore, along with three errors from the Thorobrettes, gave Miles a 25-19 win and turned the team's fortunes. KSU was uncharacteristically sloppy over the last two sets but the Lady Bears were just as strong on the attack to take advantage. When More blasted home the final kill, the Golden Bears rejoiced with a monumental victory. Moore had a match-high 14 kills, Johnson added a double-double (11 kills, 20 digs),
Lauren Moorer had 19 digs and Ford had 36 assists for the Miles.
Overall, Miles went 3-2 during the Cluster, adding a sweep over Lane with three-set losses to Spring Hill and LeMoyne-Owen on Thursday. The Lady Bears are back in action on Oct. 13, when they travel to Selma to battle Concordia-Alabama. First serve is set for 6 p.m.
