MACOMB, Ill. – Tennessee State volleyball battled back from a two-set deficit to force a decisive fifth before falling 3-2 (10-25, 18-25, 25-23, 25-18, 12-15) to Western Illinois on Friday night inside Western Hall.
The Tigers (1-23, 0-11 OVC) showcased their resilience, responding to an early hole with one of their strongest offensive stretches of the season. TSU hit .436 in the fourth set and finished with 55 total kills on the night, highlighted by balanced production from Maygan Miller-Garcia, Aliyah Harris, and I'Onna Jones.
After dropping the opening two frames, Tennessee State found its rhythm midway through the third. Trailing 13-8, the Tigers caught fire behind five service aces and a 12-4 run that flipped the momentum. Clutch kills from I'Onna Jones, Sagaia Reilly, and Aliyah Harris helped TSU close the frame 25-23 to stay alive and swing momentum their way.
Tennessee State carried that spark into the fourth, never trailing while putting together its best offensive performance of the night. The Tigers' front line took command early, jumping ahead 7-4 and stretching the lead to 17-11 with crisp execution at the net. Reilly directed a balanced offensive in the set, while Brie Blevins, Erini Bitsaktsi, and Miller-Garcia anchored the defense with timely digs and solid block coverage. TSU sealed the frame 25-18 to even the match at two sets apiece.
The deciding fifth set featured four ties and steady back-and-forth play before Western Illinois managed to edge ahead late, 15-12. Despite the setback, the Tigers' middle-set surge reflected their growth, composure, and fight in conference play.
By the Numbers
Maygan Miller-Garcia – key presence on both sides of the net, helping spark TSU's fourth-set surge
Sagaia Reilly – guided the offense, mixing in attacks while setting up multiple hitters
Aliyah Harris – produced timely kills during the third and fourth frames
I'Onna Jones – delivered clutch swings to close the third set
Brie Blevins, Erini Bitsaktsi, and Maygan Miller-Garcia – led a resilient defensive effort that fueled the comeback
Team totals: 55 kills, 8 aces, 5 blocks, 75 digs, .169 hitting percentage
Tennessee State returns to action Saturday afternoon in Macomb for a rematch with Western Illinois, looking to build on its strong late-match momentum.
