Cookeville, Tenn. ---In a fiercely contested battle on the road, the Tennessee State University volleyball team outlasted Tennessee Tech to claim a 3-2 (30-24, 30-28, 34-36, 28-30, 20-18) victory Friday night in Eblen Center.
Tennessee State (14-13, 12-6 OVC) won the first two games of the match to go ahead 2-0 but Tech (14-14, 8-9 OVC) claimed games three and four to even the contest and force a deciding game five.
Both teams battled from the onset of game five. Tech grabbed a 9-6 lead on a kill from Leah Meffert but TSU responded with a 4-1 run to tie the game 10-10.
With neither team letting up, the game went to extra points. Neither team led by more than one point down the stretch. With the game tied 18-18, timely kills from Christian Lowe and Kelly Davis helped TSU squeeze out the 20-18 win and seal the match.
Christian Lowe had a big night for TSU with 29 kills and 28 digs for a double-double. Endia Oliver also posted an impressive 10 blocks and 13 kills for her fourth double-double of the year. Collese Dornan added 17 kills for the Lady Tigers.
Kamille King (29), Candace Saleaumua (24), Melissa Silva (15), and Makena Naho'oikaika (13) each posted double figures in digs for TSU.
The Lady Tigers return to action against Chicago State next Monday for the last home game of the season. Senior night is scheduled to kick off at 7 p.m. in Kean Hall.
