The Florida A&M Rattlers defeat the Jackson State Tigers in Mississippi on Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026. (Photos provided with permissions by Jordan Fitzpatrick)

The Florida A&M Lady Rattlers defeated the Lady Tigers of Jackson State 3-1 on Sunday in Jackson, Mississippi.  

Coach Gokhan Yilmaz spoke briefly about the third set and what the contributing factors were that led to the 25-23 score. After maintaining steady confidence after dropping the third set, the team powered through to seal the win in the fourth. 

“Set three started comfortably,” Yilmaz stated in the post-game interview. “I think we just lost focus, and it took us a long time to be able to come back and regain that.” 

Coach Yilmaz also stated that some of the issues started in the second set but was able to analyze the challenges and get back on track.  

Building on Yilmaz’s notes on resilience, Assistant Coach Salma Gonzalez Sosa highlighted the team’s ability to reset and stay locked in. 

“I want them to carry their confidence. I think we stepped [into]the court, and we handled business,” Assistant coach Salma Gonzalez Sosa said in a post-game interview after playing Jackson State University on Oct. 4. 

Farah Farooq was one of the leaders for the night. Leading with 12 kills, two blocks, and one ace. Farooq reflects more on how she was able to maintain leadership while still helping the team make a comeback. 

 “I don’t worry about what’s on the other side of the net or how good they are,” Farooq stated in a post-game interview. “I just worry about being confident and what I can do.” 

On Wednesday, Oct. 7, the Lady Rattlers will take on rival Bethune-Cookman. Bethune-Cookman and Florida A&M are known rivals, so the game is expected to have high intensity and energy.  

“So, you can expect a faster pace tempo from us,” Yilmaz stated. “The team is more confident [than] we have shown earlier in the year.” 

Coach Yilmaz says they are ready for the game and that there are some things to expect on Wednesday. 

Assistant Coach Sosa also noted that their next matchup against BCU is “a great game is expected.” “You’re going to see a lot of really good swings, really good serves and a lot of fire.”