BATON ROUGE, La. – Southern University closed out its home slate in dramatic fashion on Sunday afternoon, storming back from a two-set deficit to defeat Alabama A&M, 3–2 (19–25, 21–25, 25–23, 25–21, 15–13), inside a charged Seymour Gymnasium.
 
The victory pushes the Jaguars to 18–11 overall and 9–7 in SWAC play, showcasing resilience and late-match composure after a slow start. Alabama A&M (18–11, 9–7) controlled much of the opening two frames, but Southern responded with a renewed edge and steadily took control as the match wore on.
 
Southern's spark ignited behind Ariana Brown, who delivered one of her most impactful performances of the season. The junior outside hitter finished with 19 kills, hit .256, and added five aces, becoming the driving force of the Jaguars' turnaround. Brown's dominance in sets three through five—both at the net and behind the service line—shifted the momentum squarely in Southern's favor.
 
Setter Jordan Felix directed the offense with poise, totaling 14 assists, eight kills, five digs, and the match-clinching service ace in the fifth set. Her command of the floor grew as the match progressed, helping Southern weather several A&M pushes.
 
In the middle, Sophie Diouf was vital on both ends, contributing four kills on .300 hitting and six crucial blocks, including momentum-swinging stops late in sets three and four. Graduate outside hitter Bailee St. Romain added 14 kills, delivering in key moments as Southern clawed back into contention.
 
The Jaguars' defensive backbone continued to shine, anchored by libero Najah Harris, who finished with 14 digs and excelled in serve-receive to keep Southern in system during pivotal stretches. Sereniti Johnson added eight kills and eight digs, providing balanced, reliable play that steadied the rotation.
 
After dropping the first two sets, Southern seized control with a gritty 25–23 win in the third, fueled by Brown's late-set kills and sharp distribution from Felix. The Jaguars carried that momentum into the fourth, capitalizing on A&M miscues and strong serving to force a decisive fifth set.
 
In the final frame, the teams traded points until Southern broke an 11–11 tie on a Brown kill. A block from Felix and Diouf pushed the lead to two, and moments later, Felix delivered a service ace that sent Seymour Gymnasium into celebration and capped Southern's dramatic comeback.
 
UP NEXT
Southern is in a four-way tie for fifth place in the SWAC and will await the final seeding announced by the league. The Lady Jaguars will begin the SWAC Tournament on November 21 in Tallahassee, Florida.

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