Morehead, Ky. --- The Tennessee State University volleyball team dropped the Ohio Valley Conference opener to the defending conference champions Morehead State Friday night at Wetherby Gym.

TSU (4-4, 0-1 OVC) fell to MSU (6-5, 1-0 OVC) in three sets: 22-25, 14-25, 12-25.

Shaquita Williams hit .304 and led TSU with nine kills. Terakka Walker registered 10 digs while Erika Moss recorded 18 assists.

Morehead State had two players to post double figures in kills led by Laura McDermott's 16. Ellie Roberson added 10 kills while Leslie Schellhaas (19) and Lindsey Roth (10) notched double-digit digs.

In the first set, back-to-back kills from Rebecca Moudree and Sherryce Butler put TSU on top, 10-6. The Eagles used a timeout to regroup and eventually tied the score at 16-all.  A kill by Shaquita Williams made the score, 22-20, in favor of the Tigers but the Eagles posted five unanswered points to steal the frame, 25-22.

The teams played to an 11-11 deadlock in the second set before MSU outscored TSU 11-1 to capture a commanding, 22-12 lead. The Tigers committed seven errors in the frame as the Eagles went on to win, 25-14.

The score was tied, 4-4, in set three when Morehead State used a 9-1 run to jump ahead, 13-5. TSU called a timeout but MSU swelled the lead to 18-7 following the break. The Tigers hit .143 in the, 25-12, loss.

Tennessee State struggled offensively as the Tigers only managed 26 kills behind a .058 hitting percentage. Morehead State tallied 43 kills and hit .280.

The Tigers return to OVC action tomorrow when they face Eastern Kentucky at 2 p.m.