DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. | Jackson State refused to go away Friday night, overcoming a two-set deficit and fighting off match point to defeat Bethune-Cookman, 3-2, at Richard V. Moore Gymnasium.
The Tigers dropped the opening two sets before completing the comeback with scores of 20-25, 17-25, 25-22, 25-21 and 17-15. Jackson State improved to 14-14 overall and 10-5 in Southwestern Athletic Conference play.
Hope Briggs paced three Tigers in double figures with 16 kills on a .344 hitting percentage. Shelby Zanders delivered 13 kills while hitting .414, and Kyra Dove added 11 kills on a team-best .476 clip with six blocks.
After Bethune-Cookman controlled the first two sets, Jackson State began its turnaround in the third. Trailing 6-3, the Tigers rattled off seven consecutive points to move ahead 10-6. The Wildcats eventually pulled within 23-22, but a Briggs kill and a Bethune-Cookman attack error secured the set and kept JSU alive.
Jackson State delivered another decisive surge in the fourth. Facing an 18-15 deficit, the Tigers scored eight straight points with Giannelle Asomani serving for seven of them. Sophia McKenzie supplied three kills during the run, helping JSU seize a 23-18 advantage. Zanders finished the set with a kill to force a fifth.
The deciding frame featured 11 ties and five lead changes, with neither team willing to yield. Briggs provided five kills in the set, helping Jackson State withstand the Wildcats' push.
Bethune-Cookman earned match point at 15-14, but Dove answered with a kill to extend the contest. Dove and Ryleigh Davis then teamed up for a block before Davis buried the winning kill off an assist from Naija Gadis, completing the comeback with three consecutive JSU points.
Inside the Numbers
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Jackson State finished with 63 kills, 60 assists, 68 digs, eight service aces and 10 team blocks.
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Gadis led the Tigers with 28 assists, followed by Kayla Troutman with 16 and Davis with 12.
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Asomani anchored the defense with a match-high 24 digs and added two aces.
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Davis contributed eight kills and five blocks alongside her 12 assists.
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McKenzie recorded nine digs and a team-high three service aces.
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JSU hit .297 with 16 kills in the fourth set, its most efficient offensive frame of the night.
Up Next
The Tigers will close out the regular season with a matchup at Florida A&M on Sunday. First serve is set for 1 p.m. CT.
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