FORT VALLEY, Ga. – Fort Valley State University Women's Volleyball (20-4, 14-2 SIAC) battled through a five-set marathon to take down Allen University (11-13, 8-9 SIAC) Saturday afternoon.

The Wildcats edged the Yellow Jackets 25-23 in the opening set. After Allen jumped ahead early, FVSU stormed back with a nine-point surge to take a 13-11 lead. The Yellow Jackets answered with a seven-point run of their own to go up 18-13, but the Wildcats closed strong with a pair of three-point bursts and a late two-point push to seal the set.

Allen flipped the momentum in the second, earning a 25-13 win. The Wildcats posted back-to-back four-point runs to briefly take a 14-13 advantage, but AU responded with a late surge to even the match.

Fort Valley State regained control in the third with a 25-19 victory. Behind the serve of Dakotah Holmes, the Wildcats opened on a five-point run to take a 6-1 lead. Later, Naoma Yancey fueled a six-point stretch that extended the gap to 20-12 before two straight points clinched the set.

The Yellow Jackets forced a decisive fifth set after edging out a 29-27 thriller in the fourth. FVSU jumped out to an 11-8 lead thanks to a seven-point service run from Benaye Kyle, then regained a 19-18 edge with a five-point burst behind Reagan Mann. Both teams traded points late before Allen closed with three straight to take the set.

The Wildcats dominated the decisive frame, 15-9. Morgan Hebert led an eight-point run to put FVSU ahead 12-7, and the Wildcats sealed the match with three consecutive kills from Kyle, Holmes, and Caytlyn Sanford.

Kyle powered the offense with 27 kills and a double-double of 19 digs. Holmes followed with 13 kills and nine digs, just shy of her own double-double. Imani Stokes and Sanford added seven kills apiece. Hebert directed the attack with 50 assists and 10 digs for her double-double.

Defensively, Sarah Rosario anchored the back row with 23 digs, followed by Kyle (19), Yancey (17), and Hebert (10). The Wildcats tallied 12 block assists, with Matthew, Hebert, Sanford, and Stokes each recording three.

FVSU returns to action on Wednesday, Nov. 5, hitting the road to face Benedict College at 6 p.m.