Tigers Fall in Three to Oakwood

Katelynn Madison and Aeraeonna Manuel attempt a block against Oakwood. (Photo by David Miller)

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – In its closest match of the season, Stillman College volleyball battled to the last point in two of three sets Wednesday night, but fell to Oakwood University, 25-23, 25-13 and 27-25 in Birthright Alumni Hall. 

The Tigers’ 61 points scored are a season-high in its sixth match of its return campaign. 

Trailing 18-10 in the first set, Stillman rallied with a 10-3 run to pull within a point, 21-20. Four Oakwood errors started the rally, followed by an ace by Aeraeonna Manuel to make it 19-17. Two more errors and a Madison Bubel service ace pulled SC within a point. Stillman took the lead, 23-22, on a Rebecca Brogdon ace, but Oakwood capitalized on a pair of Stillman attack errors and a Dorian Burch kill to win the first set. Five of Stillman’s 23 points came from offensive attacks. 

Six of Stillman’s 13 points in the second set came off offensive attacks, including two kills by Khadeja Bryant. Taylor Roland‘s kill that closed Oakwood’s gap to 16-13, was the Tigers’ last point of the set. The Ambassadors once again benefited from SC errors, and Mayah Seal closed the set with three-straight aces. 

After scoring the initial point in the third set, Stillman trailed throughout, but hung close. Down 22-17, Stillman scored on Oakwood errors. Sara Kate Nichols‘ kill made it 23-20, followed by a pair of OU errors. Anniston Jones served an ace to tie the set, 23-23, but a service error on the next point gave Oakwood match point opportunity. Roland and TiAna Lawrence had back-to-back kills for Stillman to earn its first set point scenario of the season. However, a service error and Nataeya Dickerson kill set up another ace by Seal to clinch the match. 

Manuel led Stillman with 10.5 points. She had four kills, three aces, three solo blocks and one assisted block. Defensively, she had six digs. Four different Tigers had three kills: Roland, Bryant, Lawrence and Nichols. Katelynn Madison had set assists in her season debut, while Roland led Stillman with 43 digs.

Seal led Oakwood with 13 points, including six kills, six aces and two block assists. Dorian Birch led Oakwood’s attack with eight kills. Dickerson finished with seven kills and Jordyn Wright had six. Cameryn Bucknor had 22 set assists.

Stillman (0-6) will travel to Talladega College on Friday for a 6 p.m. conference match in the one of the Southern States…