Saturday, October 26, 2013

Will to Win, TSU Tigers Sweep Gamecocks 3-0

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE ATHLETICS
NASHVILLE, Tennessee  –  After a straight sets win over Tennessee Tech on Tuesday, the Tigers continued to roll in an impressive performance over Jacksonville State.
 
Offensively the Tigers were paced by a double-double performance from junior Naomi Wells (15 kills and 13 digs). Wells hit .324 from the floor committing just four attack errors. Freshman Arijana Anderson posted 10 kills to finish as the second Tiger with double-digit kills.
 
Senior Erika Moss was the catalyst of the offense passing out a game high 37 assists to go along with 13 digs for a double-double performance.
 
On the defensive side of the action, Tennessee State had four players reach the double-digit plateau in digs. Junior Ileanushka Moldanado lead the way with 20 digs, followed by 19 from Moss, 13 from Wells and 11 from junior Jamie Cooper.
 
On the block the Tigers posted seven team blocks and junior Zoe Sostre finished with a career high four blocks.
 
Much like the first match-up between the two OVC foes the game began with both clubs trading points. A 9-4 run propelled Tennessee State (9-12, 5-5) from being knotted at 7-7 to having a 16-11 lead. The run gave TSU a five point advantage after a Moldanado ace, which forced Jacksonville State (11-13, 4-5) to call timeout.
 
Out of the timeout, Tennessee State continued to roll and connected on four of the next six points; including two kills from Sherryce Butler. With TSU leading 20-13 the Gamecocks used a 7-2 run to close within two, 22-20. Three consecutive points from the Tigers closed out the set; including a set winning ace from Erika Moss.
 
In the frame Tennessee State hit .308 from the field and both Wells and Butler recorded four kills apiece. Wells posted a perfect 1.000 hitting percentage converting on all of her attack attempts.
 
Tennessee State got out to a slow start in the second set and fell behind, 5-0. A well-used timeout by coach Kathy Roulhac ignited a fire behind the home team. Out of the stoppage in play, TSU took a 9-6 lead with the help of 9-1 run. In the stretch Butler picked up three points for the Tigers with two kills and a block.
 
After the run, the action went back-and-forth between the teams. The Gamecocks got within a single point on four occasions, the last time being 18-17. From there TSU closed on a 7-2 run, with three kills from freshman Arijana Anderson.
 
In the second stanza, Anderson tallied five kills with no errors to pace the attack. Swayzer (4), Wells (3), junior Zoe Sostre (3) and Butler (3) all recorded multiple kills. As a team the Tigers produced 18 kills with senior Erika Moss producing 16 assists.
 
The third set was tight from the onset with five lead changes to get the score 10-9 in favor of the Gamecocks. Tennessee State grabbed the 15-12 lead by way of a 6-2 run which was highlighted by two kills from Sostre.
 
Jacksonville State countered with a 5-2 run of their own to lock the match at 17 all and causing Roulhac to use a timeout. After the timeout TSU used a 3-0 span to regain the lead, 20-17. The Gamecocks responded with three consecutive points of their own, evening the match at 20 apiece.
 
With Jacksonville State leading 22-21 the Tigers used a 4-0 run to close out the set and the match 25-22. Sostre contributed two points in the span with a kill and a block to lead the charge. Wells connected on the match winning point with a cross-court kill.
 
In the final set Sostre finished with five kills, two blocks and a dig.
 
Abbey Heredia paced the Gamecocks offense with 12 assists, she also contributed a team high 14 digs to finish with a double-double.
 
The Tigers will have a week off before returning to action Tuesday when they visit OVC foe Austin Peay, the match is slated to begin at 7 p.m. in Clarksville, Tenn.


COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

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