FORT VALLEY, GA | The Morehouse Maroon Tigers men's volleyball team saw their postseason hopes dashed in the first round of the SIAC Men's Volleyball Tournament, falling in straight sets to the fourth-seeded Benedict Tigers, 3–0 (25–19, 28–26, 25–17), at the Health and Physical Education Complex in Fort Valley, Georgia.
Set 1: Benedict 25, Morehouse 19
Set one opened with promising momentum for the Morehouse Maroon Tigers, who came out aggressive and confident. After Benedict claimed the first point on a kill by Camron Petillo, Morehouse answered with a strong offensive burst. Kills by Charles Parrish Jr., Michael Bloodworth, and Daniel Allen helped the Maroon Tigers jump out to a 5–2 lead, capitalizing on a couple of early Benedict errors.
Morehouse maintained the edge through the early rallies, with Aidan Pullian and Parrish Jr. finding success at the net. At 9–6, the Maroon Tigers appeared poised to extend their lead, but Benedict's defense stiffened and the Tigers began to shift momentum. Jared Brown and Zion Beckford combined for multiple kills, and a block by De'Andrae Taylor and Kendersley Marcellin tied the set at 10.
From there, Benedict embarked on a critical 6–2 run, aided by Morehouse attack errors and a strong showing from Hakan Godoy, who added kills and pressure at the net. Pullian responded with back-to-back kills to bring the Maroon Tigers back to even at 16–16, but Benedict slammed the door with a closing 9–3 run. Petillo and Beckford were central to the surge, with Beckford recording a pair of late kills and Petillo adding a block assist that deflated the Morehouse momentum.
Benedict closed out the set 25–19 following a kill from Brown. While Morehouse showed flashes of control, particularly early, errors—particularly on attacks—proved costly. The Maroon Tigers hit just .140 in the frame with 8 errors, while Benedict posted a .243 attack percentage with 14 kills and only 5 errors.
Set 2: Benedict 28, Morehouse 26
The second set of the match was a thrilling back-and-forth affair, marked by high-intensity rallies, 14 ties, and several lead changes. It was the most competitive set of the day and showcased the heart and resilience of the Morehouse Maroon Tigers.
Benedict started strong with kills from Jared Brown and Camron Petillo, taking a quick 2–0 lead. Morehouse responded immediately as Daniel Allen and Michael Bloodworth each recorded kills to even the score at 2–2. From that point forward, neither team could pull away for long, trading points with efficiency and pace. Aidan Pullian found his rhythm early in the set, recording consecutive kills off assists from both Jamar Shackleford Jr. and Allen. His presence on the left side became a focal point of the Morehouse offense.
After tying the match at 8–8, Morehouse made a key push. Allen registered another kill, followed by a service ace from Charles Parrish Jr. and back-to-back kills from Bloodworth and Pullian to spark a 6–2 run, giving the Maroon Tigers an 18–13 advantage. Their offense during this stretch was fluid, with Shackleford Jr. directing traffic and setting up hitters in rhythm. Pullian and Bloodworth both capitalized on quick-tempo sets, and Allen continued to deliver from the right side.
But Benedict would not go quietly. With the score 20–14 in favor of Morehouse, Benedict turned to a strategic substitution, inserting Roy Berry into the rotation. His service run proved pivotal—he delivered a service ace and forced multiple Morehouse attack errors, helping the Tigers close the gap to 20–19. Consecutive hitting errors by Parrish Jr. and a block from Hakan Godoy brought Benedict all the way back, tying the score at 20.
From there, the set turned into a dramatic duel. Pullian delivered a clutch kill to give Morehouse a 23–22 lead, but Benedict responded with a kill from Zion Beckford. After trading points again, a Beckford kill gave Benedict their first set point at 25–24, but Allen extended the set with a kill to tie it once more. Morehouse fended off one set point but couldn't hold on a second time. At 26–26, Jared Brown put Benedict ahead with a kill, and Berry followed with his second service ace of the set to clinch it, 28–26.
Morehouse hit a solid .275 in the frame with 22 kills—its highest single-set output of the match—but five attack errors and one crucial service error during crunch time allowed Benedict the opening it needed. Pullian and Bloodworth were standouts again, while Allen continued to power the offense, but a late swing in momentum proved too much to overcome.
Set 3: Benedict 25, Morehouse 17
Set three saw the Benedict Tigers seize control early and never relinquish it, as they closed out the match in dominant fashion. The Maroon Tigers struggled to match Benedict's offensive rhythm and blocking presence in the final frame, and costly errors doomed their comeback hopes.
Morehouse opened the set with a kill from Charles Parrish Jr. to go up 1–0, but Benedict quickly responded. A block by Hakan Godoy and Jared Brown on Parrish Jr. sparked a 4–0 run for the Tigers, which included back-to-back kills from Zion Beckford, who continued his match-long dominance on the outside. Morehouse trimmed the deficit to 6–3 after a service error by Benedict and a kill from Pullian, but the Tigers were locked in offensively. They extended their lead to 10–4 on a string of kills from Beckford, Camron Petillo, and De'Andrae Taylor.
Morehouse struggled to find consistent offense during this stretch, committing several attack errors and having multiple swings blocked at the net. The Tigers' front line—anchored by Marcellin and Godoy—effectively closed off lanes for Pullian and Allen, limiting their effectiveness compared to earlier sets.
Down 17–10, the Maroon Tigers attempted a late push fueled by a service ace from Parrish Jr. and an attack error by Benedict. A pair of kills from Allen and Pullian helped close the gap to 18–14, but any momentum was quickly halted. Petillo responded with a kill for Benedict, and Marcellin followed with a service ace that deflected off the Morehouse back line to push the lead to 23–16.
Morehouse managed one final kill from Parrish Jr. to make it 24–17, but Beckford fittingly ended the match with his 17th kill, delivering a cross-court shot that sealed the 25–17 victory and the 3–0 sweep.
Benedict was superb offensively in the third set, hitting a staggering .500 with 16 kills and just two errors. Meanwhile, Morehouse was limited to 10 kills and hit only .103 while committing seven attack errors and three service errors. The Tigers' depth and efficiency ultimately proved too much for the Maroon Tigers to overcome in the final frame.
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Despite a spirited effort and a hard-fought second set, fifth-seeded Morehouse (4–13, 2–9 SIAC) couldn't overcome the offensive firepower and defensive pressure of Benedict (12–9, 6–5 SIAC). The Tigers' efficient attack and well-timed blocks proved too much for the Maroon Tigers, who will now face sixth-seeded LeMoyne-Owen in the fifth-place consolation match.The Maroon Tigers will look to finish the season on a positive note in the 5th-place match against the Magicians. First serve is scheduled for Wednesday at 10AM in Fort Valley. For up-to-date athletic information on the Maroon Tigers, follow them on social media or online at
www.morehouseathletics.com.
