Jackson State rallies from two sets down to beat Bethune-Cookman

Jackson State came back from two sets down and fought off a match point Friday to beat Bethune-Cookman 3-2 at Richard V. Moore Gymnasium in Daytona Beach, Florida. The Tigers won 20-25, 17-25, 25-22, 25-21, 17-15.

Hope Briggs led Jackson State with 16 kills and hit .344. Shelby Zanders had 13 kills while hitting .414, and Kyra Dove added 11 kills on a .476 hitting percentage and six blocks.

The Tigers began their comeback in the third set, scoring seven straight points to take a 10-6 lead after trailing 6-3. Bethune-Cookman closed within 23-22, but a Briggs kill and a Wildcats attack error gave Jackson State the set.

Jackson State then turned an 18-15 deficit in the fourth into a 23-18 lead with an eight-point run. Giannelle Asomani served for seven points during the stretch, and Sophia McKenzie had three kills. Zanders closed out the set with a kill to force a deciding frame.

The fifth set had 11 ties and five lead changes. After Bethune-Cookman reached match point at 15-14, Dove tied it with a kill. Dove and Ryleigh Davis combined for a block, then Davis put away the winning kill on an assist from Naija Gadis.

Jackson State finished with 63 kills, 60 assists, 68 digs, eight service aces and 10 team blocks. Gadis led the team with 28 assists, while Asomani recorded a match-high 24 digs and two aces. Davis had eight kills and five blocks, and McKenzie added nine digs and three aces.

The win moved Jackson State to 14-14 overall and 10-5 in Southwestern Athletic Conference play. The Tigers are scheduled to close the regular season at Florida A&M on Sunday, with first serve set for 1 p.m. Central time.

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