Ram, jam, slam! It’s awesome baby!
Those were the feelings of most fans in the Jake Gaither Athletic Center on Sunday after they watched the volleyball team take South Carolina State by storm winning the match in three straight games.
The Rattlerettes finished off the Bulldogs in only an hour and 18 minutes, never allowing the visitors to score more than 15 points, (30-11, 30-11, 30-15)l.
The Rattlerettes’ first game was plagued by many fundamental errors- balls dropped behind blockers, players reaching through the net, and missed serves.
Despite those setbacks, the Rattlerettes never trailed.
Also helping the Rattlerettes journey to victory were numerous miscarries by South Carolina’s setter, junior Nicole Custis-Rivera.
The Rattlerettes had only four hitting errors, as they managed to have a .433 attack percentage. Putting away the final point was freshman Adriana Kostadinova, who finished the match with 10 kills.
Sophomore Ivelina Petkova started the second game, replacing Kostadinova in the line-up. Petkova, who had just come off a foot injury, managed five kills and one solo block as the Rattlerettes dominated the game.
“It felt good to be in there playing,” Petkova said. “We’re getting together as a team and doing well.”
South Carolina State did not have much height on their team, and the Rattlerettes definitely capitalized on that. They were able to obtain at least seven team blocks in comparison with the Bulldogs four.
Closing the match in awesome fashion in the last game, the Rattlerettes hit .741 in attacks – SCSU hit -.027.
Peterson, senior Fiorella Aita Junek, and junior Ursula Jara served four of the team’s seven aces in this game.
Senior Anisha Nicholson contributed three digs, bringing her game total to 20.
“When we play against an easy team like them, we play at their level,” Junek said.
“These games are good because people on the bench get to play,” said assistant coach Sergio Villar Gallup.
The Rattlerettes improved their record to 6-3 overall, 3-0 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, while South Carolina State dropped to 7-8 and 1-2 in the conference.
Saturday, the Rattlerettes will take on Norfolk State at 1 p.m. in the Jake Gaither Athletic Center.