THE DELTA | Mississippi Valley State University volleyball opened Southwestern Athletic Conference play Friday night at the R.W. Harrison HPER Complex, battling Texas Southern before falling in straight sets, 25-15, 25-16, 25-19.
The Delta Devils showed their strongest push in the third set, producing eight kills while hitting .241 and using a late rally to cut into the Texas Southern advantage. MVSU finished the night with 20 kills, 19 digs, three service aces and seven total team blocks.
Aniyah Moore and
Taylor Wooten led the Valley State attack with six kills apiece. Moore delivered an all-around performance, hitting .235 while also contributing five block assists, three digs and a service ace. Wooten hit a team-best .278 among MVSU players with double-digit attack attempts and added eight digs and two block assists.
At the net, the Delta Devils continued to make their presence felt. Moore was involved in five blocks, while
Hannah St. Croix and Wooten each added two block assists.
Brooklyn Brunt,
Madison Conley and
Aubrie Walker also contributed to MVSU's seven-block effort.
MVSU came out aggressively in the opening set. Walker recorded the first kill of the match before Moore and Wooten helped the Delta Devils remain within striking distance early. Texas Southern eventually created separation midway through the frame and claimed the opener, 25-15.
The Delta Devils delivered their best start of the evening in the second set, racing out to a 6-0 advantage. Wooten opened the scoring with a kill before St. Croix and Moore added kills during the early run, forcing Texas Southern into a timeout. The Tigers responded, however, eventually pulling even and taking control late for a 25-16 victory.
Valley State continued to compete in the third. After falling behind early, the Delta Devils generated momentum behind their defense at the net. Moore combined with Walker, St. Croix and Wooten on a series of blocks as MVSU trimmed the deficit to 16-15. Wooten later sparked another push with three kills during a late stretch that brought Valley State within 22-19 before Texas Southern closed the match.
Texas Southern finished with 49 kills and a .378 hitting percentage, while MVSU held a 7-0 advantage in total team blocks. The result moved Mississippi Valley State to 1-9 overall and 0-1 in SWAC play.
MVSU will have a quick opportunity to respond when the Delta Devils return to the Harrison HPER Complex on Sunday, Sept. 27, to host Prairie View A&M in another SWAC matchup.
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