Sept. 19, 2007

Final Stats

Daytona Beach, Fla. - Bethune-Cookman University used a strong performance from senior Keisha Vicks to blow past visiting Alabama State University, 3-0 on Wednesday night at Moore Gymnasium in Daytona Beach, Fla. B-CU took the match on scores of 30-17, 30-18 and 30-14.

B-CU (2-6) erased a two-match losing skid, and boosted their home record for 2007 up to 2-0 as they hosted Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) member Alabama State to Daytona Beach. The Wildcats used three strong performances from key players, but it was the second time in as many hope matches that B-CU collected a .300+ hitting percentage (.392) at home as well.

The `Cats got several key plays from outside hitter Keisha Vicks as she scorched away a match-high 11 kills on the night. Vicks was just as dominant on defense as well, grabbing in a match-high nine digs with ultimate hustle.

Vicks' hitting percentage of .556 was a season-high for her in that category.

ASU (0-11) fought hard in the second match after rallying from a scoring stretch of six consecutive points by B-CU--five from service aces. B-CU collected a season-high 19 service aces in the match, compared to just four from their counterparts from Montgomery, Ala.

ASU erased a 7-0 deficit to take their first lead of the match at 9-8 on a kill from Shajuana Pina midway through the second game. That lead, however, was short-lived as the Wildcats of B-CU rallied with an 8-1 run that would leave the Hornets behind 22-14.

Kills from Vicks and Chelle Ticeson were too much for the Hornets to try to overcome down the stretch as B-CU ran away with a 30-18 win in the second contest.

In the third game, the power of the Wildcats was blazing right from the start as Danielle Goodrum and freshman Kaiyana Johnson set the tone early and often. With B-CU up 14-8, the play of Ticeson and Johnson was enormous as the Wildcats jumped out to a 28-12 advantage.

That is when ASU got back-to-back kills from Jessica Holt to cut into the lead and give the Hornets a fighting chance down the stretch. Nevertheless, it was attack errors--two of 10 on the evening for ASU, as well as Vicks making the difference in the end.

Bethune-Cookman stayed perfect on the year at home after defeating Savannah State in the home-opener last Thursday. As for ASU, they fell to 0-11 on the year as Sonia K. Price and her Hornets will try to seek the first win of the year on Oct. 2 when they venture back into SWAC competition against in-state rival Alabama A&M University.

B-CU was led on the night by Vicks' 11-kill, nine-dig performance. That goes along with three block assists for the senior from Greer, S.C. Behind her was Ticeson with 10 kills and two block assists of her own.

Also turning in a solid performance for B-CU was Danielle Goodrum with eight kills and two digs.

Pina and Holt led ASU with six kills apiece. Aleesha Woodruff set-up the offense with 19 assists.

B-CU looked towards Kumiko Chow and freshman Julie Gibson as both collected 19 assists on the night.

B-CU will take some time off before traveling to the capital city of Tallahassee next Wednesday, Sept. 26 for a nationally televised match against multi-time defending MEAC champion Florida A&M University at 6 p.m. The game is being televised by ESPNU, and marks the second time in three years that B-CU has played a nationally televised match in the sport of volleyball.

For information on the match, please call the B-CU Office of Sports Information at (386) 481-2206.