FRANKFORT, KY – On Friday the 13th of November, the Thorobreds of Kentucky State University had the misfortune of losing the 23rd Annual Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Women’s Volleyball Championship Tournament, falling to the Golden Rams of Albany State University, top seed in the SIAC’s Eastern division.

This was the third consecutive year that Kentucky State has hosted the tournament but, having home court advantage did nothing to help them as their season ended with a record of 25-12 (18-2 SIAC) at the Exum Center, in Frankfort, Kentucky. The Thorobreds’ fall to the Golden Rams in the championship game, in straight sets, 25-8, 25-20 and 25-19, allowed Albany State to earn a record of 21-9 (19-1 SIAC) and a berth into the NCAA D-II volleyball tournament.

“This loss was very disappointing for our girls. They worked very hard this year and were deserving of winning this tournament but, Albany State played better than we did tonight to win the championship,” said Kentucky State’s head coach Kyetta May, in her post game statement.

After having already lost one game in this double elimination tournament, in straight sets, 25-20, 25-23 and 25-18, to these same Golden Rams, when in the winners’ bracket, the Thorobreds, top seed in the SIAC’s Western division, moved on to the losers’ bracket where they found themselves in a fight for their post season lives.

It was in that bracket where the Thorobreds learned that their battle back into the winners’ bracket would be more difficult than first thought. However, they did prevail, over the Tigers of Benedict College, the SIAC Eastern division’s second seed, in four sets, 25-16, 14-25, 25-12 and 25-17, to move back into the winners’ bracket, where they had to face the Golden Rams one more time.

“Beating Benedict was not as easy as the final score might indicate,” said May. “We were both fighting to win. Neither of us wanted to lose and be sent home. And with the both of us having lost one game already in this tournament this game was huge for the both of us.”

The SIAC championship tournament crowd, nearing 1,100 volleyball fans over the three day event, went on to see the Thorobreds eventually fall in the championship game, as the Golden Rams move on to play in the NCAA D-II tournament.

“Winning nine consecutive titles in this conference is not easy,” said Albany State head coach Robert Skinner, who was named SIAC Coach of the Tournament for his team’s accomplishments. “Kentucky State was a formidable opponent, regardless of what the final score said. They were the favorites to win it this year which meant we had to maintain our focus, especially when playing them the second time.”

The Golden Rams are now hoping to host the first round of the NCAA D-II playoffs, as they now wait to see just who the NCAA is going to pair them up with in that round, and just where that round is going to take place.