Albany, Ga. – The Albany State University Lady Golden Rams capped off an emotional Senior Day in winning fashion, defeating Benedict College 3–1 (25–21, 25–18, 22–25, 25–17) on Sunday afternoon inside the HPER Gym. With the victory, Albany State improved to 13–13 overall and 12–4 in SIAC play, while Benedict dropped to 17–9 overall and 10–8 in conference competition.

The afternoon served as both a celebration and a statement as the Lady Golden Rams honored their senior class before turning in one of their most complete performances of the season, dominating the match with strong offensive balance, defensive grit, and clutch serving.

Albany State came out with energy and purpose, feeding off the home crowd to take the opening set 25–21. Behind steady setting from Natalie Onozie and Mimi Harris, the Golden Rams established offensive rhythm early, highlighted by powerful attacks from Jarianis Perez and Shaniya Banks.

In the second set, the Lady Golden Rams found their groove, hitting .179 as a team while holding Benedict to just .026. Perez led the charge again, alongside Maya Ogbogu and Jayda Watson, helping ASU to a convincing 25–18 win and a 2–0 match lead.

Benedict refused to go quietly, taking advantage of ASU's miscues in the third set to win 25–22, forcing a fourth. However, the Lady Golden Rams regrouped quickly and responded with a dominant performance in the final frame.

Albany State hit an impressive .325 in the fourth set, led by Ogbogu's nine kills, Banks' 11 kills, and Perez's match-high 14 kills. The trio's offensive firepower, combined with timely blocks from Banks, Watson, and Ogbogu, powered the Lady Golden Rams to a 25–17 clinching victory.

As a team, Albany State recorded 54 kills, 73 digs, and 14 total blocks, while limiting Benedict to a .046 hitting percentage.

Before the first serve of the 3rd set, the Lady Golden Rams recognized their senior class for their dedication and contributions to the program. The emotion of the ceremony fueled the team's performance, and the win provided a fitting sendoff for the veteran players in front of the home crowd of more than 140 fans.
 
Up Next, the Lady Golden Rams will remain home to close out the regular season against Edward Waters University. With postseason play approaching, Albany State looks to carry its momentum and fine-tune its rhythm heading into the SIAC Volleyball Championship Tournament.