Box Score Houston, TX.  – Claiming its first conference win in the SWAC Roundup, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (2-12, 1-0 SWAC) defeated Mississippi Valley Delta Devils (2-13, 0-1) Friday night in three straight sets (25-18, 25-20, 25-23).
 
The victory marked the first conference win for the Lady Lions in the last nine matches, after playing a tough non-conference schedule against SEC, Conference USA, Big 12 and ACC opponents. Two Lady Lion's players logged in a good performance as both sophomores Kendalle Howard and Britney Sahlmann recorded a double-double in the roundup against Valley. Sahlmann tallied with 36 assists and 11 digs and Howard led the team in kills with 12 and 12 digs. 

Senior Jade Sanlin led UAPB with her 13 digs, also a match high. Junior Taylor Burrall led the team with two blocks and finished with nine kills.  

UAPB Head Coach Dustin Sahlmann said,  "we took advantage of easy transition and turned that into good offensive point scoring.  We did have a few too many hitting errors but overall the offense is getting there."  "Defensively we did a good job of blocking to dig balls so we could transition.  We averaged almost 18 digs/set, which I was happy overall for the team."

UAPB got off to a quick start, taking a 16-10 lead in set one.  Delta Devils began to find their stride, cutting the Lady Lions lead to 16-15 with five straight points. The Lady Lions would answered back with a kill by Taylor Sheppy and an ace by Lisa Casimie and ran away with the set, taking frame one 25-18.
 
Set two got off to a much closer start than the first as both teams were neck and neck (18-17 UAPB) come closer to match point.  After a timeout by Valley, the Lady Lions would go on a 7-3 run and things continued to go UAB's way as the Lady Lions never looked back, taking set two 25-20.

The Lady Lions will be back in action later today against Jackson State in the second game of the SWAC Roundup.