MURRAY, Ky.- The Tennessee State Tigers (9-11, 1-10) traveled to Murray, Kentucky looking to get back to their winning ways, but a strong passing game by Murray State freshman Bailey Demier (40 assists) kept TSU at bay. The Murray State Racers (11-9, 5-0 OVC) remained undefeated at home in their straight set victory.

SET ONE: Murray 25-17

Murray started the match off with a service ace by Becca Fernandez starting a 4-0 run. After TSU got on the board with an attack error by Murray's Jajyla Holcombe, the Racers stretched the lead to 8-2. The Tigers scratched their way back into the game with a kill by senior Aniya Williams and a pair of kills by senior Mion Weldon. With the score 8-5, The Racers then scored five of the next six points to make it 13-6. A Holcombe kill on Demier's ninth assist of the set gave the Racers a 15-8 lead at the media break. A .381 hitting percentage propelled Murray to the early lead.

TSU couldn't get any closer than six points for the rest of the set. After Murray made it 22-14 on a kill by Alexa Harris, TSU freshman Storm White converted a kill. Holcombe's attack error made it 22-16. The Racers finished the set on a 3-1 run winning on service error by TSU senior Aria Holmes.

SET TWO: Murray 25-18

TSU took an early 2-1 lead on two consecutive kills by Weldon. Murray then went on a 5-0 run to take control of the set. Brooke Lynn Watts (18 kills) converted three kills during the run. TSU tried to creep back into the set, cutting the lead to 9-5 on a Watts attack error. Murray made a quick 3-0 run to make the score 12-5. The Racers were the first to 15 on a kill by Kolby McClelland making it 15-8 at the media timeout.

After another Watts kill gave Murray a 20-12 lead, the Tigers woke up and went on a 4-0 run to cut the lead to five at 20-15. Weldon and Williams stonewalled Watts at the net during the run. A McClelland kill and Weldon attack error pushed the lead back to seven points, forcing TSU into taking a timeout. A McClelland service error and a Williams kill from senior Kristian Marshall (15 assists) cut the led to five, but that was as close as TSU could get. Watts, of Murray State, had three kills to finish the set.

SET THREE: Murray 25-22

After dropping 2-1, TSU wouldn't fall easily. The Tigers went on a 4-0 run to go up 5-2. Demier then had three straight assists, first to McClelland then two more to Watts to knot the score at five. After a Demier kill gave Murray the lead, TSU scored six of the next seven points, taking their biggest lead of the match at 12-8. Murray then went on a 7-1 run of their own, taking a 15-13 lead at the media break.

Murray scored the first two points after the break, making the run 9-1, giving the Racers a 17-13 edge. TSU didn't go away quietly, scoring three out of the next four points. The Tigers closed in the Racer's lead at 18-16 on a service ace by junior Carla Boudal. After a Watts kill gave the Racers a 21-17 lead, a McClelland service error and kills by Holmes and junior Aleksandra Rojecka made it 21-20 Racers.

After the Racers called a timeout, they gained momentum and finished the match on a 4-0 run ending it on a Demier service ace.
Despite hauling their eighth consecutive win, the Tigers still had some game successes. Williams led the Tigers with the most kills at eight. On defense, senior Gina Rivera-Ortiz had 16 digs.

The two teams will meet again on Friday at Murray. First serve is 6 p.m. CST.