JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Edward Waters University women's volleyball team came up just short in a thrilling five-set Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) showdown Saturday afternoon, falling 3-2 (25-12, 25-17, 23-25, 24-26, 9-15) to Benedict College inside the Adams-Jenkins Complex.
Despite jumping out to a commanding two-set advantage, the Lady Tigers were unable to hold off a determined Benedict squad that rallied to claim the final three sets. The setback snapped Edward Waters' seven-match SIAC winning streak and moved the Lady Tigers to 8-8 overall and 7-4 in conference play.
Edward Waters came out firing in the opening set, establishing control with an efficient offensive attack. The Lady Tigers recorded 15 kills while hitting .375, cruising to a convincing 25-12 victory.
The momentum continued into the second set, as EWU maintained its offensive rhythm and capitalized on Benedict's struggles at the net. The Lady Tigers collected 13 kills and limited the visitors to a negative .024 hitting percentage, securing a 25-17 victory and taking a 2-0 lead in the match.
However, Benedict began its comeback in the third set, edging Edward Waters 25-23 to extend the contest. The fourth set proved to be another tightly contested battle, with the visiting Tigers narrowly escaping with a 26-24 victory to force a decisive fifth set.
In the final frame, Benedict carried its momentum into the tiebreaker, hitting an impressive .471 with 10 kills against just two attacking errors. The visitors claimed the fifth set 15-9 to complete the comeback.
Despite the loss, Edward Waters received several outstanding individual performances, highlighted by Heylianis Aquino, who delivered a match-high 20 kills while adding 14 digs to record a double-double. Aquino also contributed a service ace and two assists, finishing with a team-high 21 points.
Norah Laurore and Brooklyn Jones each finished with 12 kills. Laurore recorded five total blocks, including one solo rejection and four block assists, while Jones added nine digs.
Jewel Helmuth continued her strong play at the net, contributing nine kills on a .318 hitting percentage, four total blocks, two service aces, and four digs. Zakiyyah Abdul added six kills and four total blocks.
Freshman setter Naraiya Thompson directed the Lady Tigers' offense with an impressive 49 assists, while also recording 13 digs and three service aces for a double-double of her own.
Defensively, Ayanna Blocker contributed 11 digs, while Autumn James added 10 digs. Senior libero Dimaliz Figueroa, who recently surpassed 500 career digs, finished with eight digs, four assists, and a service ace.
As a team, Edward Waters finished with 61 kills, 57 assists, 72 digs, eight service aces, and 15 total blocks. The Lady Tigers also posted a .206 hitting percentage, compared to Benedict's .137.
Benedict, which improved to 11-6 overall and 7-4 in SIAC competition, was led by Mia Burgess with 19 kills and Angelic Carter with 15.
Despite the disappointing result, Edward Waters will have an opportunity to bounce back quickly as the Lady Tigers continue their conference schedule.
The Lady Tigers will return to the court Sunday afternoon, October 11, when they host the Allen University Yellow Jackets in another SIAC matchup inside the Adams-Jenkins Complex.
Edward Waters will look to defend its home court and return to the win column as the Lady Tigers continue their push through the 2026 SIAC schedule.
Follow The Tigers
For complete coverage of Edward Waters University Athletics, follow the Tigers on social media @EWU_Athletics (Twitter), /EWUTigers (Facebook) and @EWU_Athletics (Instagram) or visit the official home of Edward Waters Athletics at EWUTigerPride.com.
