CAU Women's Volleyball Loses Home Game to Valdosta State

By Terry Wills Jr.

Photo by Jackie Gwin

In a Monday night showdown, the Clark Atlanta Panthers took on the Valdosta State Blazers at Clark Atlanta's Epps Gymnasium.

The Panthers, coming fresh off a win against rival Benedict College, were hoping to ride that momentum into Monday night's game but ended up falling to the Blazers 3-0.

The first set of the game started intensely as both teams were trading points. Outside hitter Lauryn Terry scored a kill to bring CAU a one-point lead, being 8-7. Despite that kill, the Blazers scored seven of the following 10 points, expanding their lead to 15-10. CAU tried clawing their way back into the game with a kill from Kia Thomas, which brought the score to 20-14, but the Blazers continued to play well and won the 1st set 25-14.

The second set of the game was the most intense of the game. CAU was propelled early in the match from a few of Kiara Finley's kills. Kia Thomas evened up the score at 16 with a kill of her own. Right, when it seemed the Panthers had all the momentum, here came the Blazers scoring four straight, making the score 20-16 and causing head coach Ashley Johnson of CAU to take a timeout. Coming out of the timeout, the Panthers could only score one out of the next five points giving the Blazers a 24-17 lead. Middle hitter Miara Bolden extended the second set by scoring a block for the Panthers, but that excitement was short-lived as the Blazers scored the next point earning the second set victory.

The third set started competitively as both teams were trading leads once again. The Panthers, outsider hitter Jalen Dickerson, scored a kill that evened up 11-11. Right, when it seemed we were in store for a Panthers comeback, the Blazers scored 10 of the following 13 points making the score 21-14. The Panthers tried to remain competitive by scoring three straight points highlighted by another Miara Bolden kill, but it would not be enough as the Blazers went on to win the third set. Miara Bolden led the Panthers with seven kills while Jalen Dickerson and Kia Thomas added six and five kills while Amirah Bentley had twenty-one assists and six digs.

The Panthers will try and regroup this week as they head down to Allen University on Friday night to take on the Yellow Jackets.