Fisk Dominates Huston-Tillotson in Straight Sets

Bossier City, La. - Fisk (TN) swept Huston-Tillotson 3-0 (25-17, 25-17, 25-19) on Monday at Billy Montgomery Arena, improving to 29-6 overall and maintaining their perfect 10-0 conference record.

Reagan Jones led the Bulldogs' offensive charge with 12 kills on a .435 hitting percentage, adding two service aces for 14 total points. Laila Esters contributed seven kills while hitting .357, and Shelby Chamblin added 10 kills despite committing seven errors.

Fisk's balanced attack proved too much for the Rams, as the Bulldogs posted a .242 team hitting percentage compared to Huston-Tillotson's .089. Setter Kaia Barnett orchestrated the offense with 15 assists, while Nebthet Re added 16 assists and delivered two crucial service aces during a dominant stretch in the second set.

Huston-Tillotson (15-13, 10-2) struggled to find offensive rhythm, managing just 22 kills as a team. Lindsey Morris led the Rams with six kills on .273 hitting, while Malaya Bennett added four kills and three service aces to account for seven points.

The turning point came in the first set when Fisk went on a 7-0 run, with Jones serving during a stretch that saw the Bulldogs build a commanding 6-13 lead. Huston-Tillotson never recovered, calling two timeouts but unable to slow Fisk's momentum.

Defensively, libero Nialah Gupton anchored Fisk's back row with 17 digs, while Jasmyne Mumphrey added five assists and 29 digs in the win.

Dillard Outlasts Philander Smith in Four-Set Thriller

Dillard (LA) survived a spirited comeback attempt from Philander Smith (AR) to claim a 3-1 victory (25-19, 26-24, 24-26, 25-19) on Monday at Billy Montgomery Gymnasium, improving to 17-8 overall and 11-1 in conference play.

Makaela Swoopes powered the Blue Devils with a match-high 16 kills, while Cadence Thomas added 14 kills on .276 hitting. Nya St. Cyr chipped in 10 kills while hitting .304, and the Blue Devils' balanced attack featured five players with at least seven kills.

Philander Smith (20-10, 7-5) battled back from a 0-2 deficit to claim the third set 26-24, erasing a 24-22 deficit with four consecutive points. Zarea Winn led the Panthers with 12 kills, while Ja'Niya Sanders added seven kills and played a crucial role in the third-set comeback with key blocks.

The second set featured the match's most dramatic sequence, with Philander Smith rallying from a 21-11 deficit to tie the score at 24-24. However, Dillard closed out the set 26-24 on a kill by Cadence Thomas after a Makaela Swoopes attack error gave the Panthers hope.

Dillard's depth proved decisive, with setter Ajanae Chatham distributing 28 assists and adding two service aces. Libero Jasmyne Mumphrey anchored the defense with a match-high 29 digs, while Nanyelis Sosa-Moreno contributed 21 assists.

The Panthers received strong performances from Antonisha Whitney (seven kills, 10.5 points) and Rickale Green (four kills, 7.5 points, three blocks), but couldn't overcome Dillard's .167 hitting percentage. Karissa Maldonado sparked Philander Smith's offense with 11 assists and two service aces during a crucial second-set run.