NEW ORLEANS, La. – The Talladega College women's volleyball team traveled to New Orleans this afternoon to face conference rival Dillard University. The Tornadoes came away with the 3-2 (16-25, 25-18, 19-25, 25-23, 15-7) over Dillard to pick up their 17^th win of the season and ninth in GCAC action.  It was the Blue Devils' first loss in conference action this season.

Talladega (17-7, 9-1) opened up the first set with a 4-1 lead, but both teams soon found themselves tied at seven. The Tornadoes took advantage of three straight Dillard (12-7, 7-1) errors to take a 10-7 lead, but both teams went back and forth with the next 11 points with Talladega holding a 16-12 lead. That lead didn't last long as Dillard scored the final 13 points in a row to take the opening set, 25-16.

Looking to bounce back in set two, both teams found themselves tied at nine. Talladega broke the tie open scoring back-to-back points to go up 11-9, but Dillard answered with three straight points to take a 12-11 lead. The Tornadoes strung together a 6-0 run to go back in front 17-12, and from there Talladega never looked back as it took the set 25-18 to even the match at one.

The Tornadoes opened up the third set with a 7-2 lead but Dillard chipped away to tie things up. Dillard used a 6-1 run to grab its first lead of the set and it was enough for them to build off of and go on to win the set, 25-19.

Trailing 5-2 in set four, Talladega worked its way back into things as it used a 7-4 run to knot things at nine.  The Tornadoes scored five straight points to go up 14-9, but Dillard answered scoring four in a row to make it, 14-13. Talladega responded with three in a row to push its lead to 17-13, but the Blue Devils matched the Tornadoes' three points with three of their own. Holding on to a one-point lead, Talladega scored back-to-back points to make it, 19-16. The Blue Devils used a 7-0 run to take a 23-19 lead but it didn't hold as Talladega scored the final six points to tie the match at two.

Going into the fifth set, Talladega trailed 7-5 but used a 10-0 run to win the set and the match.

Talladega's Zyaire Prettie Garrit led the team in kills with nine while finishing with three aces and 16 digs. Teammate Briyith Echeverri finished with team-highs in digs with 25 and aces with six.
Dominique Madarang finished with 11 assists for the Tornadoes.

Talladega is back in action at 2 p.m. on Monday when it travels to Savannah State for a non-conference match.