Next Match: at Florida 10/14/2018 | 12:30 p.m. CT

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama volleyball made quick work of Alabama State Wednesday night at Foster Auditorium, sweeping the Hornets with set scores of 25-14, 26-24 and 25-9.

A second-half push propelled Alabama (15-5) to a double-digit win in the opening set over Alabama State (10-16) before a close affair in the second that saw the Hornets reach set point, 24-23, before the Tide scored back-to-back to edge out the two-point victory. The third set was all Alabama, posting its largest margin of victory this season with a 25-9 win to complete the sweep.

Junior Ginger Perinar led the offense with 12 kills and a .381 hitting percentage. Sophomore Meghan Neelon was two digs shy of a double-double, posting eight along with a team-leading 19 assists. Sophomore Doris Carter tallied a pair of service aces along with a team-leading four blocks.

With Alabama State up 5-4 early in the first set, a 4-0 run put the Tide ahead 8-5. The Hornets fought back to tie it at 9-9 but the lead swung back Alabama's way with a 6-1 run before the media timeout with the score 15-10. Alabama State took its first team timeout three points later trailing 17-11 and the Tide continued to roll from there, eventually winning by double digits, 25-14.

The momentum carried over to the second set, as Alabama opened the frame with five unanswered points. Alabama State rallied back to make it a one-point game, 6-5, but could not tie the score. The Tide led by four at the media timeout, 15-11, and by six at the Hornets' first timeout, 21-15, before a 4-0 run from the visitors again made it a one-point game. Alabama State eventually took a late 23-22 lead and called its second timeout after a kill from Perinar tied it at 23-23. A kill gave the Hornets set point but an attack error tied it back at 25-25 and gave Alabama back the ball and the Tide held on to win, 26-24.

Alabama again jumped to an early 5-1 lead before Alabama State rallied to draw within one. With the Tide up 10-7, four unanswered points stretched the lead to seven points and remained there at the media timeout, 15-8. The lead reached double digits after a kill from Carter, 18-8, as the Hornets called their first team timeout. Two points later leading 19-8, the Tide closed out the set with seven-straight points to win, 25-9, and complete the sweep.

This weekend, Alabama resumes conference play traveling to Gainesville, Fla., to take on No. 11 Florida (15-3, 6-0 SEC) Sunday, Oct. 14 at 12:30 p.m. CT.