FORT VALLEY, Ga. – For the second time in two weeks, the Wildcats put their first 'W' in the record column against an opponent. Fort Valley State's solid play and turned it into the program's first victory over Emmanuel College in straight sets, 3-0, in men's volleyball Thursday night.

Leading 21-19 late in the first set, FVSU (7-5) saw Jaxon Hicks serve and ace and down a kill as the home team netteed four of the next five points for the 25-20 final. After a late four-point Lion spurt to pull to 24-20, Chey Cooper tipped the final kill to put the Wildcats ahead 2-0 with the 25-20 identical final. With another tight lead of 17-15, FVSU, again, was solid late as it recorded eight of the 10 ending points as Cooper and Raheem Thomas teamed to block the final play to end the match, 25-19.

As was the case last win against SIAC-member Central State, FVSU recorded its first victory over seasoned-program Emmanuel College in five meetings. The Lions took the Feb. 13 meeting in Franklin Springs by a 3-0 score. In fact, Thursday night was the first time the Wildcats won more than a set against the Lions in the previous four matchups.

Cooper paced the Wildcat attack with 11 kills, hit .391, seven digs and two total blocks. Isaiah Fedd downed nine kills, hit .438, dug five balls and added two block assists. Hicks added his own nine kills to go with three aces, four digs and two assists.

Jose Gallardo handed out 27 assists and four block assists and three digs. Jamil Scott dug four attacks. On the defensive front, Thomas was in on four block tandems to go with three kills and four digs, while Saferino Dour contributed three blocks and three kills.

Eli Zdonek led Emmanuel with 11 kills.

FVSU will continue its three home matches in three days when SIAC foe Morehouse College enters the HPE Arena on Friday evening (March 8) in a 6 p.m. match.

-Wildcats-