NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee State volleyball continued to battle through its home stretch on Friday evening, facing a strong Eastern Illinois squad inside Kean Hall. Despite the effort and energy on the court, TSU fell in straight sets (8–25, 10–25, 17–25).
TSU was paced offensively by Maygan Miller-Garcia, who finished with six kills, while Erini Bitsaktsi anchored the defense with a team-high six digs. Julia Culpepper added two aces to spark TSU from the service line, and Sagaia Reilly guided the offense with nine assists.
Game Notes
Match Summary
Set 1:
TSU opened the match looking to establish rhythm, but Eastern Illinois jumped ahead early and controlled the first frame. Despite TSU's defensive hustle, the Panthers created separation and took the set 25–8.
Set 2:
The second set saw TSU continue to battle, working to push back against EIU's offensive tempo. TSU stayed competitive through extended rallies, but Eastern Illinois held the momentum and secured the set 25–10.
Set 3:
Tennessee State found its strongest offensive stretches in the third, with Miller-Garcia and Culpepper helping generate scoring opportunities. TSU continued to fight point-for-point late in the frame before EIU ultimately closed out the match 25–17.
Up Next:
The Tigers return to Kean Hall on Saturday, November 8th at 2 p.m. to host Eastern Illinois once again — this time celebrating Senior Day.
