RENO, Nev. – The Wildcats took on another top team nationally for the first time Friday evening. Fort Valley State competed hard against undefeated Long Beach State in a 3-0 men's volleyball loss for the first day of the Silver State Showcase.

FVSU held leads in each of the first and third sets and battled back in the second set against LBSU. The Wildcats led by two points four times (6-4, 7-5, 8-6 and 9-7) in the first set before The Beach (7-0) ran off three-straight points when the set was tied at 13-13 for an eventual 25-19 final. Long Beach State scored nine of the first 11 points of set number two and did not allow FVSU to get closer than five points until the 25-17 total. FVSU led early and then enjoyed its largest lead of four points of the night, 11-7, before LBSU eventually tied it at 17-17 before the 25-20 final score.

Both Isaiah Fedd and Muhammad Mbaye downed six kills apiece for the Wildcat attack. Mbaye did his six kills in only eight attacks with one error for a .625 percentage.

Jaxon Hicks chipped in five kills, two blocks and an ace, while Raheem Thomas added four kills, three digs and a pair of blocks to his credit. Oshane Farquharson handed out 18 assists and downed three kills. Constantine Ononye dug five attacks.

FVSU continues with the weekend in Nevada with a pair of Saturday, Feb. 1, matches – 3 p.m. EST against Belmont-Abbey College and then a 6 p.m. first serve against Grand Canyon.

-Wildcats-