SALT LAKE CITY, UT --Senior Kennedy Davis tallied 12 kills with a .524 hitting percentage, but the Tennessee State Tiger volleyball team fell 3-2 (23-25, 25-22, 18-25, 25-22, 10-15) to the San Francisco Dons in the Utah Invitational. The loss moved Tennessee State to 0-6 on the season. It was the second time this season that the Tigers lost in five sets.
The Tigers offense had three other players with double-digit kills, paced by sophomore Gabrielle Johnson, who finished with a match-high 17 while accumulating a hitting percentage of .433. She also had two service aces that helped her to collect a match-high 24 points. Graduate student Aleksandra Rojecka and senior Jayla Holcombe chipped in with ten apiece. The balanced attack was supported by a match-high 48 assists from junior Hennesys Lalane. TSU received a strong effort on the defensive end, with a match-high 23 digs from freshman Celianiz Cabranes, eight blocks from Johnson, also a match-high, and five rejections from Holcombe.
Game Notes
» TSU had four players in double figures in kills.
» Kennedy Davis was efficient in attacking situations in the match, accumulating 12 kills while hitting .524.
» Gabrielle Johnson had a team-high two aces in the loss.
» Gabrielle Johnson had a match-high 17 kills for the Tigers.
» TSU got a match-high 23 digs from Celianiz Cabranes.
» TSU attackers were helped by a match-high 48 assists from Hennesys Lalane.
How It Happened
SET 1 | The Tigers found themselves in an early deficit, dropping a nail-biter first set 25-23. Tennessee State trailed by as many as six points as San Francisco grabbed the advantage for good at 15-14 in a set that was tied up 13 times before the Dons took over in the second half of the stanza. The Tigers had 11 errors in the set.
SET 2 | Tennessee State responded to pick up a 25-22 victory in the second set, evening the match at one set apiece. The Tigers grabbed the advantage for good at 18-17 in a set that showcased two lead changes before the Tigers took over in the second half of the stanza. TSU's front row had a solid defensive performance, blocking five San Francisco attacks in the stanza.
SET 3 | TSU fell in set three, putting the Tigers in a 2-1 deficit, dropping a tough set 25-18. TSU trailed by as many as seven points as San Francisco grabbed the advantage for good at 15-14 in a set that was tied up nine times before the Dons took over in the second half of the stanza. The Dons were efficient in the set, only making two errors to TSU's seven. The Dons looked like they would put the Tigers away early, scoring the set's first three points. Two consecutive service aces by Johnson gave TSU their first lead at 5-4. An 8-2 run ended the set for San Francisco.
SET 4 | Tennessee State responded to win the fourth set 25-22 to force a fifth set. The Tigers survived a furious San Francisco rally, hanging on to win after leading by seven points at 14-7 earlier in the set. The Tigers started the set strong, scoring the first four points on attack errors by the Dons. SF had a rally of their own and took a 6-5 lead. TSU scored nine of the following 10 points for their 14-7 lead. The Dons chipped away and got as close as one point twice. The Tigers finished the set, scoring three of the last four points.
SET 5 | Tennessee State was on the wrong side of a back-and-forth match, winning the second and fourth sets but dropping the first, third, and fifth, which they dropped by the score of 15-10, to fall in the match. The Tigers lost the fifth set despite a solid showing on the attacking end. Tennessee State put together a .389 attack percentage with eight kills in the set loss.
On Saturday, TSU will finish the long road trip with a game against UC Santa Barbara. The first serve is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. CST.
