CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Wildcats felt the match slipped away. Leading in the match-deciding set, Fort Valley State saw Tusculum University put the final three points on the board and pulled off the come from behind, 3-2, men's volleyball match. Host Queens University claimed the afternoon's first match in straight three sets.
FVSU led the late match, 24-17, before it posted a 25-20 opening set win. Tusculum outlasted its opponent for the first time as it fought off three FVSU set points before it ran off the three-straight tallies for a 29-27 tally. Leading 22-17 in the set number three, the Wildcats posted three of the final four points to open a 2-1 match lead on the 25-18 final. The Pioneers held a 17-16 edge and turned it into a 25-18 final to force the fifth set. Tusculum led in the first half of set five by a 7-4 margin before Isaiah Fedd pounded two kills and teamed with Saferino Dour on a block for a 10-8 FVSU lead. After three ties, Fedd killed the following point for a Wildcat 15-14 edge before the Pioneers ran off the final three for a 17-15 fifth set win.
FVSU (8-7) pushed host Queens in every set only to fall short in the end. Jaxon Hicks downed a winner to make it 24-20 Royals before the final point for a 25-20 score. Fedd killed a ball to pull the Wildcats to within a 20-17 tally before the Royals held on for a 25-20 second set. In the third set, Hicks and Fedd both killed points for 19-19 and 20-20 ties. Queens, though, pulled out the last momentum for five points in a row for the third 25-20 set final.
Sophomore Fedd registered the most kills in a match this year with 27 in the second set at a .346 clip. In the eight sets, Fedd totalled 40 kills over 76 swings with a .342 percentage to go with two assists, five aces, 10 digs and a block assist. Hicks was right behind hi with 20 kills and .372 rate in 43 attacks to go with seven total blocks, 13 digs and an assist. He had a set match double-double of 12 kills and 11 digs.
Raheem Thomas held his own in the middle. The middle blocker posted eight total blocks, while he had 13 kills in 24 attacks to go with three digs. Chey Cooper added 12 kills, 10 in the second match, to go with nine digs and two aces. Jose Gallardo totaled 73 assists, including a season-high 49 assists in the late match, two kills, 12 digs and an ace.
FVSU will have almost a week off before it returns to SIAC action and host Benedict College next Friday evening, March 22, in a 6 p.m. first serve.
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