Cape Girardeau, Mo. --- After falling behind two sets to
none, the Tennessee State University volleyball team fought back to win three
straight in a five-set win over Southeast Missouri Friday night in Houck Fieldhouse.
With the win TSU won its fourth straight and improved to
9-14 (7-8 OVC) while SEMO slipped to 6-20 (3-12 OVC).
Santia Sanders led the team and recorded a double-double
with 28 kills (.361) and 19 digs. Shaquita Williams tallied 14 kills and
Vicmari Prospero added 10. Kamille King also recorded a double-double with 12
kills and a team-best 26 digs.
Erika Moss (20), Calasia Williams (19) and Terakka Walker
(13) also recorded double figures in digs while Moss dished out 59 assists.
Andrea Baylin led SEMO with 17 kills while Claire Keaton
added 10. Kelly Benacka turned in a match-high 32 digs.
TSU had a 12-8 lead in the first set but SEMO fought back to
tie the frame, 15-15. With the score tied, 20-20, the Redhawks outscored the
Tigers, 5-1, to come away with the win.
Set two was a back-and-forth battle that went into extra
points. The score was tied at 26-all when the Redhawks capitalized on a couple
of Tiger miscues and picked up the win.
After playing to a 17-17 stalemate, TSU used a small run to
go ahead, 21-18 in the third set. SEMO called a timeout but the Tigers finished
strong and won the set, 25-20 to keep the match alive.
In the fourth set, a kill by Danielle Howell made the TSU
lead 12-8 before a kill by Vicmari Prospero swelled the advantage to 16-10 later
in the set. TSU had 18 kills (.250) in the frame while limiting SEMO to only
seven (.103) in the 25-17 win.
The Tigers assumed control in the fifth and deciding set as
kill by Vicmari Prospero gave TSU a 10-5 lead. Three unanswered points brought the
Redhawks to within two (10-8) but a 5-1 run by the Tigers to close out the set
sealed the win.
TSU totaled 76 kills and hit .255 in the match while SEMO
only managed 50 kills on a .174 attack percentage.
The Tigers return to action tomorrow against the Panthers at
2 p.m. on the campus of Eastern Illinois.
