JACKSON, Tenn. – The Talladega College women's volleyball team split a pair of matches on the first day of the Lane College Tournament. The Tornadoes fell to Dillard 3-2 (23-25, 25-19, 19-25, 25-16, 7-15) this morning while sweeping NCAA Division II opponent Winston-Salem State 3-0 (25-15, 25-13, 25-15) in the nightcap.

The Tornadoes (2-4) will face Harris-Stowe State and host Lane College tomorrow at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. to close out the tournament.

Match One: Talladega 2, Dillard 3
In the opening set both teams went back and forth with Dillard edging out Talladega 25-23 to go up 1-0 early.

Both teams started off set two going back and forth for a second time but Talladega was able to break it open with a 9-4 run to take a 14-9 lead. Dillard came within two trailing 19-17 but it wasn't enough as Talladega went on to win 25-19 to tie the match, 1-1.

Dillard (3-3) took an early lead in set three and never looked back to go on to win 25-19 and retake the lead in the match, 2-1.

Tied 2-2 in set four, Talladega used a 7-3 run to go up 9-5 but Dillard put together an 8-3 run to reclaim the lead. The Tornadoes broke the set open as they used an 11-1 run to go up, 23-14. Talladega would cruise to the 25-16 win to force a fifth set.

Dillard only trailed 1-0 in the final set and after that never looked back to 15-7 and claimed the match.

Prettie Zyaire Garrit paced Talladega with 15 kills and 17 digs while Re'na Ashley registered 11 kills.
 
Match Two: Talladega 3, Winston-Salem State 0
Talladega trailed at the start of set one but took a 10-9 lead off of an attack error by the Rams (1-2). The Tornadoes held a slim lead in the set but used a 7-2 to go up, 20-14. Talladega closed out the set on a 5-1 run to go up 1-0 in the match.

The Tornadoes opened set two on an 11-3 run and never looked back from there as they went on to win 25-13 and take a 2-0 lead.

After trailing 3-1 in the third set, Talladega used a 6-0 run to take the lead. The Rams chipped away at the lead but were never able to reclaim it. They would come as close as three points down. Leading 13-10, Talladega closed out the set and match on a 12-5 run.

The Tornadoes as a team hit .260 overall and hit .387 in set two.

Garrit finished a team-high eight kills for Talladega while teammate Kiana Polk tallied seven kills.

Briyith Echeverri led the Tornadoes in digs with 12 while Giovana Costarelli finished with 10 digs and seven assists.