Saturday, September 29, 2018

TSU Tigers Improve to 3-0 in OVC Play with Win Over JSU

JACKSONVILLE, Alabama -- In its first Ohio Valley Conference road game of the season, the Tennessee State Tiger volleyball team defeated the Jacksonville State Gamecocks 3-1 (25-23, 22-25, 25-23, 25-23) Friday evening at Kennamer Hall.
TSU is now 3-0 in conference play, 5-8 overall.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
  • Julia Pierson recorded her third double-double of the season against the Gamecocks with a match-high 17 kills and 10 digs.
  • Laken Te’o registered her career-high 46 assists.
  • TSU combined for nine blocks – five Tigers registered three total blocks a piece. Rachel Henderson, Hinalei Fihaki and JoJo Kruize each posting solo blocks.


HOW IT HAPPENED
The Gamecocks served the first ball and won the first point with a kill by middle Addie Halverson. TSU’s first point came from a JSU service error. With Julia Pierson at the service line, fellow returner Rachel Henderson took control of the net, going up for and a solo block. From that point, TSU’s front row pushed the Tigers to create a six-point lead over Jacksonville State with a seven-point run that included a JoJo Kruize and Laken Te’o block. TSU finished the set with four team blocks and 13 kills to take the set, 25-23.
TSU took the lead in set two before Jacksonville State’s defense picked up steam halting the Tigers’ hitting accuracy to .081 compared to .219 in the first set. Freshman outside and Gamecock kills leader Lena Kindermann served as JSU’s finisher, posting four of the last six JSU points. Jacksonville State closed the set, 25-22.
Image result for ovc logoThe final two sets were battles as the Tigers started off fast, JSU pushed for points in the middle and TSU closed it out, winning both 25-23.
MATCH NOTES
  • TSU improves to 11-23 in the all-time series against the Gamecocks.
  • Big Blue is 3-0 in OVC play, while JSU sinks to 0-3.
  • Jacksonville State won coin toss and served first.
UP NEXT             
TSU continues conference road play at Tennessee Tech tomorrow, Saturday, Sept. 29 at 2 p.m. in the Eblen Center.

TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

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