Lady Panthers Celebrate Senior Night With Sweep of Benedict

Clark Atlanta closes regular season with a conference win over Benedict

ATLANTA — Kai Harris recorded 16 kills and nine digs as Clark Atlanta closed the regular season with a 25-21, 25-20, 25-19 sweep of Benedict on Friday at Epps Gymnasium.

The Lady Panthers celebrated senior night, recognizing Amasjah Gillings, Sawyer Arbuckle, Nakayla James and Antonique Coleman. Clark Atlanta finished the regular season 19-10 overall and 11-8 in Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play. Benedict fell to 13-12 overall and 9-10 in the SIAC.

Harris led all players in kills and paced Clark Atlanta in digs, hitting .394 while adding two service aces and two solo blocks. Carmella Jones contributed eight kills and hit .368.

Sydney Ray directed the offense with a match-high 28 assists, adding five digs and two block assists. Brianna Little recorded Clark Atlanta's highest hitting percentage at .750, finishing with three kills and no errors on four attempts.

Arbuckle supplied four kills, three digs and two aces, tying Harris for the team lead in aces. James and Gillings each recorded four digs, with James adding an ace. Coleman finished with two blocks, including one solo, to share the team lead with Harris and Ray.

Clark Atlanta totaled 33 kills, 30 assists, 33 digs, six aces and five team blocks. The Lady Panthers hit .234 and held Benedict to a .143 hitting percentage.

The Lady Panthers rallied from an early 7-3 deficit in the opening set. Trailing 10-8, Clark Atlanta scored five consecutive points behind kills from Jones and Harris, two Benedict errors and a Ray ace to take a 13-10 lead.

Benedict later moved ahead 18-16, but Clark Atlanta responded with four straight points, capped by an Arbuckle ace. With the Lady Panthers leading 22-21, Harris delivered a kill and an ace before a Benedict attack error secured the 25-21 victory.

Clark Atlanta established control early in the second set, building a 10-4 advantage during a four-point run that included an Arbuckle kill and two Harris kills. Harris later added a solo block and an ace to help extend the lead to 14-6.

Benedict cut a 23-15 deficit to 23-19, but a Lady Tigers attack error brought Clark Atlanta to set point. After a Benedict kill, Jones finished the set with a kill off a Ray assist to give the Lady Panthers a 2-0 match lead. Clark Atlanta hit .333 with 12 kills in the set.

The Lady Panthers overcame another deficit in the third set, rallying after Benedict built a 12-7 lead. Trailing 14-10, Clark Atlanta scored seven consecutive points to take a 17-14 advantage.
Gatlin began the run with a kill, Jones added another, and Coleman recorded a solo block before teaming with Ray for a block. Gatlin capped the stretch with her second kill of the run.

Clark Atlanta maintained its lead, with Little and Ray combining for a block before Little added a kill to make it 22-16. Harris later supplied a kill, and a Benedict service error sealed the sweep.
Desire' Young led Benedict with 13 kills and hit .476. DeMyah Jackson finished with 13 digs, while Jayden Johnson recorded 15 assists.

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Players Mentioned

#17 Nakayla James: L/DS; 5' 4"; Senior

#6 Sawyer Arbuckle: OH; 5' 10"; Senior

#18 Antonique Coleman: MB; 6' 0"; Senior

#1 Amasjah Gillings: L/DS; 5' 1"; Senior

#16 Carmella Jones: RS; 5' 11"; Junior

#8 Sydney Ray: S; 5' 8"; Freshman

#14 Brianna Little: MB; 5' 8"; Junior

#29 Kai Harris: OH; 5' 10"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#17 Nakayla James
: 5' 4"; Senior
: L/DS

#6 Sawyer Arbuckle
: 5' 10"; Senior
: OH

#18 Antonique Coleman
: 6' 0"; Senior
: MB

#1 Amasjah Gillings
: 5' 1"; Senior
: L/DS

#16 Carmella Jones
: 5' 11"; Junior
: RS

#8 Sydney Ray
: 5' 8"; Freshman
: S

#14 Brianna Little
: 5' 8"; Junior
: MB

#29 Kai Harris
: 5' 10"; Freshman
: OH