RICHMOND, Ky. --- The Tennessee State volleyball team used a strong fourth-set finish that was fueled by an 8-1 rally to claim a 3-1 victory over Eastern Kentucky Friday night in McBrayer Arena.

Tennessee State won the first two sets before dropping the third set to EKU. After falling behind, 24-19, in the fourth stanza, the Tigers found themselves one point away from heading to a fifth and deciding set. TSU charged back to stun the home crowd and seal the 3-1 victory.

Julia Pierson led TSU with 17 kills while Gina Rivera-Ortiz paced the Tiger defense with 26 digs.

Box Score

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Julia Pierson led the Tiger's offense with 17 kills.
• Kristian Marshall and Sofia Garcia-Guerrios tied for 17 assists a piece.
• Aria Holmes added four blocks to her record.
• Gina Rivera-Ortiz led Big Blue with 26 digs.

SET ONE

• A good volley between the two teams started off the set with kills from Pierson and Jasmine Fuqua.
• A kill for Pierson and one from Kariely Santana-Delgado gave the Tigers a five-point lead.
• Two attack errors on TSU gave Eastern Kentucky a way back into the set.
• But, Pierson squashed that attempt with a kill to keep the Tiger's lead.
• EKU tried to stay in the set but Tennessee State proved strong with kills from Aniya Williams and Pierson.
• An attack error on the Colonels gave TSU the set, 25-22.

SET TWO 

• The set started out with a kill from Khalia Jordan but EKU fired back with it's own. 
• Kaylin Johnson and Jordan went back and forth with kills over the net. 
• Eastern Kentucky took the lead with two errors on the Tigers.
• But TSU tied it up with a kill from Pierson.
• EKU took the lead once again, Williams tried to keep Big Blue in the set with her third kill of the match.
• Two kills from Holmes pulled TSU on top. 
• Eastern Kentucky fought back with another kill from Johnson.
• An attack error on Fuqua tied the set up.
• After a Tennessee State timeout, Jordan with a kill gave TSU set point. 
• But a bad set on Pierson tied the set 24-24.
• EKU did not go down without a fight but the Tigers stayed strong and won the match, 27-25. 

SET THREE

• An ace for Garcia-Guerrios started the match off for TSU.
• Kills for Fuqua, Jordan, Pierson and Holmes kept TSU in the match. 
• EKU's Adria Hartley with her second kill of the match kept Eastern Kentucky on the board.
• Tennessee State stayed on top with errors made by the Colonels.
• A bad set on Amiyah King gave EKU the lead. 
• Kendall Bullock with a kill tied the set up for the Tigers.
• EKU took the lead with a kill and an attack error on Tennessee State.
• Kills for Pierson and Fuqua kept the Tigers in the set.
• Attack error on EKU gave Big Blue the lead. 
• A kill from Rachel Woody gave Eastern Kentucky the lead back and another kill for EKU gave the Colonels the set, 25-22.

SET FOUR

• Jordan with two kills gave an early lead to TSU.
• Two kills for EKU gave the Colonels a two-point advantage.
• Kills for Eastern Kentucky and an attack error on Tennessee State kept EKU ahead.
• Pierson with her 14th kill of the match tried to keep Big Blue in the set.
• A kill from Teuila Lolotai and an attack error on the Colonels kept the Tigers on the board.
• Santana-Delgado and Pierson kept TSU in the set with kills.
• An attack error on Tennessee State gave EKU set point.
• Jordan with two kills tied the set 24-24.
• Block assist for Fuqua and King gave TSU match point and an attack error on EKU gave Tennessee State the win, 27-25.

MATCH NOTES

• Tennessee State's overall record is now 8-6.
• Winning this match made TSU's conference record 1-0.
• Big Blue's record against EKU is now 14-54.
• Aniya Williams received her 100th kill of the season during set one.

UP NEXT

Tennessee State will travel to Morehead, Ky. to compete against Morehead State Sept. 28 at 1 p.m.

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