It has been a big weekend for the Clark Atlanta University Lady Panthers volleyball team.

Friday, they fell in three tough sets to Savannah State on the road and then Sunday they host an Edward Waters team that has won eight straight matches, dating back to September 25^th.

The Lady Panthers (9-7, 7-5 SIAC) are in the thick of a close Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference East Division chase where they have gone back-and-forth with Benedict for second place behind Albany State.  Currently, the Lady Panthers are in third, just percentage points behind Benedict.

Heading into Friday's match, CAU had won five of their last six matches and hadn't lost to an SIAC opponent since late September.

Savannah State (8-8, 5-6 SIAC) has been just behind CAU in the East Division in fourth place.  Friday, they played like a team determined to move up.

Inspired on a homecoming weekend, Savannah State and CAU went back and forth for three sets in a tight battle.  In the first set, CAU had tied the match at 20-20 after an attack error by SSU's Sydney Harville.  Savannah State then took five of the next six points to win the set 25-21.

The second set was as close as the first as SSU led 17-15 midway through the set.  Kills by Amirah Bentley and Kiara Finley helped CAU go on a 5-0 run to lead 20-17.  SSU had another run in them, getting the next four points, and then ending the set by winning four of the last five points to take the set 25-23.

The third set saw CAU hold a four-point lead midway through, going up 14-10.  SSU erased the lead, tying the set at 17-17.   Three straight points by SSU late gave them a 23-21 lead.  The Lady
Tigers were able to hold off CAU by winning two of the last four points and the match.

Kia Thomas led CAU with nine kills and seven digs, while Finley finished with seven kills.   Miara Bolden had five kills Lauryn Terry finished with four.  TiAna Crider had 15 digs while Bentley had 25 assists, one kill and six digs.

Jasmine Nettles led Savannah State with 13 kills while Imani Williamson had seven kills and six digs.

Next up for the Lady Panthers is Sunday's 2 p.m. match with Edward Waters.  The Tigers are coming off a 3-0 victory over Allen on Friday night.  They haven't lost a set in their past three matches and haven't lost since Sept. 25 when they were beaten by Spring Hill in three sets.  They defeated CAU on Sept. 18 in three sets.