Nashville --- The Tennessee State University volleyball team
gutted out a five-set win over Tennessee Tech, Friday night in Kean Hall.
With the win, TSU (7-15, 5-9 OVC) won its second straight
while TTU fell to 6-17 (4-8 OVC).
The Tigers won the first two sets, (25-22, 25-16) but saw a,
2-0, match lead disappear when the Golden Eagles claimed the next two sets
(25-20, 25-20). It took extra points to decide the winner in the fifth set, as
TSU pulled out the victory, 17-15.
Shaquita Williams poured in a career-high 28 kills and hit .426 to go along with five blocks to lead TSU. Santia Sanders posted a
double-double with 13 kills and 16 digs while Vicmari Prospero added 11 kills. Erika
Moss dished out 59 assists and guided TSU to a .301 hitting percentage.
Kamille King and Erika Moss paced the Tiger defense with 18
digs apiece as Terakka Walker registered 12 digs.
Leah Meffert turned in a team best 26 kills for Tech while
Marie Peddicord added 11. Allison May (19), Melanie Culp (11) and Meffert (10)
all posted double figures in digs for the Golden Eagles.
Tech scored the first point of the set but TSU slowly took
control. The Tigers moved ahead, 14-11, which led to a Golden Eagle timeout.
TSU stretched its lead to 17-12 before TTU put together a rally to come within
one, 22-21. Tech closed to within one point again, 23-22, but two timely kills pushed
TSU to the win.
After trading points in the second frame, TSU managed to
create a little distance and built its lead up to 13-9. Tech used a timeout in
an attempt to slow TSU down but the Tigers continued to roll. A kill by Vicmari
Prospero swelled the advantage to 23-14 before TSU went on to win, 25-17.
In the third set, TSU was leading 12-8, when four unanswered
points from TTU tied the score. From there it was a battle as both teams traded
points. The Golden Eagles were holding on to a slight, 21-20, lead when they
fired off four straight points to seal the win and extend the match.
After playing to a, 6-6, tie in the fourth set, Tech used a
small rally to grab a 9-6 lead. TSU used a timeout when TTU increased its
advantage to 14-10. After falling
behind, 16-10, the Tigers cut the deficit down to two points four different
times but could never get over the hump. Tech was able to force a fifth set with
the 25-20 win.
The fifth set was a back-and-forth battle. At the halfway
mark, Tech led 8-6 but three unanswered points from TSU put the Tigers back on
top, 9-8. The lead was short lived as Tech knotted the frame on the next rally.
Back-to-back kills from kills from Shaquita Williams and Santia Sanders gave
TSU a 13-11 cushion.
The Golden Eagles, however, answered with the next to points
to bring the set to a, 13-13, stalemate. With the match on the line, a kill by
Shaquita Williams gave TSU a 16-15 lead before a Golden Eagle attack error
pushed the Tigers to the win.
The difference in kills was disparaging as TSU tallied 76
(.301) compared to TTU's 53 (.204). The Tigers also committed 19 service errors
while the Golden Eagles only registered five.
TSU returns to action tomorrow against Jacksonville State.
Match time is slated for 2 p.m. in Kean Hall.
