MARIETTA, Ga. – Strong scoring rallies from the Life University Running Eagles powered the team to a straight-set victory over the Talladega College volleyball team Saturday afternoon at the Upper Gym in Southern States Athletic Conference action.

The Tornadoes dropped a fifth consecutive match to fall to 8-11 on the season and 2-8 in the SSAC. LU (25-16, 25-22, 25-7) improved to 8-7 and evened their conference record at 5-5.

Talladega had an early lead in the first set, but once the match was tied at 10-10 the Running Eagles posted 10 straight points to take control of the opening game. The two teams played evenly in the second set, but Life used two stretches of five or more-point runs to take control and clinch a sweep of the match. 

Zyaire-Prettie Garrit (SR/Long Beach, CA) led the Tornadoes with 10 kills with a .389 attack percentage and finished tied for second on the squad with five digs. Maloree Calzadillas (JR/Benton City, WA) passed 10 assists and Raven Clater (SR/Ft. Worth, TX) came away with nine assists. 

Defensively, Kenya Glenn (SO/Waipahu, HI) led the back row with seven digs while Sophia Schallmo (FR/Richmond, VA) also posted five digs.

Lena Pucnik led Life with 10 kills while Kennedy Neal passed 38 assists for the Running Eagles. 

The Tornadoes are now set to take part in the Clark Atlanta Volleyball Classic hosted by Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, Georgia tomorrow in L.S. Epps Gymnasium. The team is scheduled to face Harris-Stowe State University at noon and Clark Atlanta at 4 p.m. with both times listed as central.