Nov. 10, 2006

Daytona Beach, Fla. - Bethune-Cookman College had to fight hard in order to defeat a resilient Savannah State University squad in a 3-1 volleyball match on Friday night at Moore Gymnasium in Daytona Beach, Florida. The match was won on the night for the `Cats with scores of 30-25, 20-30, 30-21 and 30-21.

Bethune-Cookman (8-11) found it a lot harder than they ever imagined against a winless Savannah State squad that entered the night with a 0-23 overall mark on the 2006 campaign. The struggling Tigers brought the fight right to the homestanding Wildcats.

It was the timing and power of senior Vonetta Simpson, one of four (4) senior volleyball student-athletes playing in their final match at Moore Gymnasium tomorrow afternoon, which provided the spark on the night for the `Cats. Simpson now has 297 blocks to her career, needing just three more to have over 700 kills and 300 blocks throughout a career.

Simpson collected 11 kills on the night to lead all Wildcats, but in the second game it was the play of a duo of Tigers that made things very interesting.

Coming into the night, Savannah State had won just two (2) games in 68 games through 23 matches on the campaign. Tonight, the combination of Ashlee Malcolm and Tiffany Hall allowed the Tigers to take the second game, and put them in a position for the possible upset.

But Simpson and the combination of Tabatha Williams and senior Rachelle Aupperle was just too much in the third game as both student-athletes combined for eight kills in the game ... assisted by two blocks from Marlene Holmes.

Bethune-Cookman used too much Reina Carson in the fourth game as she collected three of her five kills on the night to hold off the Tigers of SSU, 30-21.

The Tigers had numerous people to choose from as leaders on the night, but Malcolm's 13 kills and Hall's 11 kills were the highs. Malcolm's 13 kills was also a match-high. Setter April Hayes set-up the offense with 36 assists while Brittany Watson collected 20 digs. Malcolm assisted with 17 digs on defense for a double-double performance.

As for the victorious Wildcats of Bethune-Cookman, Simpson led all players with 11 kills and seven blocks. Williams and Aupperle pitched in with eight kills apiece. Freshman setter Meredith McCormick added a season-high 46 assists, and Ariane Guy pulled in a team-high 18 digs on defense.

The Wildcats will now get ready for Senior Appreciation Day tomorrow as they say good-bye to Aupperle, Terra Wagner, Simpson and Guy when they host Norfolk State University at Moore Gymnasium at Noon.