CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Tennessee State volleyball opened its Ohio Valley Conference road series at SEMO on Thursday evening, battling through a competitive opening set and showing offensive improvement in the third before falling 3-0 (25-15, 25-11, 25-16) at Houck Field House.
The Tigers (0-20, 0-9 OVC) traded points with the Redhawks (17-7, 10-1 OVC) throughout the opening frame, which featured 10 ties and four lead changes. Tennessee State recorded 11 kills in the first set before closing the match with a .179 hitting percentage in the third.
Sydney Robinson led the Tigers with eight kills, including five in the final set. Gabrielle Washington added four kills on 10 attempts without an attack error, finishing with a .400 hitting percentage, one solo block and two block assists.
Wiktoria Jakubik and Carsyn Stansberry contributed three kills apiece, while Melae Lacy added two. Savanna Moore recorded a kill and a block assist in third-set action.
Triniti Jackson directed the offense with 10 assists and added six digs, while Italya Carter contributed eight assists. Jordan Imperial and Sydni Poston led Tennessee State defensively with seven digs each.
How It Happened
Set One | SEMO 25, Tennessee State 15
Tennessee State established an early offensive rhythm, answering SEMO's opening point with a kill from Lacy. After the Redhawks moved ahead 3-1, Robinson and Jakubik delivered consecutive kills to tie the set at 3-3.
An attack error by SEMO gave the Tigers their first lead at 4-3. Jakubik followed with another kill to put Tennessee State ahead 5-4 before Stansberry answered a Redhawks point with a kill to regain a 6-5 advantage.
The teams continued exchanging points, with Lacy tying the frame at 7-7 and Stansberry evening the score at 8-8. A SEMO service error tied the contest at 9-9 before Robinson delivered a kill to give Tennessee State a 10-9 lead.
After the Redhawks scored twice to move ahead 11-10, Robinson responded with another kill to tie the set at 11-11. SEMO then scored two consecutive points, but Jakubik answered with a kill to bring Tennessee State within one at 13-12.
The Redhawks used a 5-0 run to extend their advantage to 17-12 before Gabriella Blevins ended the stretch with a kill assisted by Carter.
SEMO responded with four consecutive points to take a 21-13 lead. Washington later delivered a solo block against Reagan Nelson to make it 22-15, but the Redhawks closed the frame with three straight points.
The Tigers finished the opening set with 11 kills and a .167 hitting percentage.
Set Two | SEMO 25, Tennessee State 11
Tennessee State carried its early competitiveness into the second set, opening with a kill from Washington before Washington and Jakubik combined for a block to give the Tigers a 2-0 advantage.
An attack error by SEMO extended Tennessee State's lead to 3-1, and a Redhawks service error pushed the Tigers ahead 4-2.
SEMO answered with three consecutive points to take a 5-4 lead, but Tennessee State responded with back-to-back points. A Redhawks service error tied the frame at 5-5 before another SEMO attack error returned the advantage to the Tigers at 6-5.
The Redhawks then put together a 4-0 run to take a 9-6 lead, prompting a Tennessee State timeout. Stansberry ended the stretch with a kill assisted by Carter, bringing the Tigers within two at 9-7.
SEMO responded with eight unanswered points to extend its lead to 17-7. Tennessee State continued fighting for points, with Washington recording a kill off an assist from Jackson to make the score 20-10.
The Redhawks maintained their advantage and closed the set 25-11.
Set Three | SEMO 25, Tennessee State 16
Tennessee State entered the third set looking to regain its offensive rhythm after SEMO opened with an early advantage.
The Redhawks built an 8-1 lead behind a 7-0 scoring run before Robinson delivered a kill off an assist from Jackson to stop the stretch.
Robinson continued providing an offensive spark, adding another kill to make the score 10-3 before recording her third kill of the frame to bring Tennessee State to 12-4.
Trailing 14-4, the Tigers generated their longest scoring run of the match. A SEMO service error gave Tennessee State possession before Moore and Washington combined for a block against Nelson. Another Redhawks attack error completed a 3-0 run, bringing the Tigers to 14-7.
Washington followed with a kill assisted by Carter to make it 16-8, while Jackson added a kill to bring Tennessee State to 17-9.
Robinson continued to lead the offensive response, recording kills at 19-11 and 20-12. Moore then converted an assist from Carter for a kill, bringing the Tigers to 21-13.
Washington added another kill to make the score 22-14, keeping Tennessee State active offensively in the closing stages.
Facing match point at 24-14, the Tigers continued battling. A SEMO setting error gave Tennessee State its 15th point before a Redhawks attack error extended the match to 24-16.
SEMO secured the final point to close the set 25-16.
Tennessee State finished the third frame with nine kills on 28 attempts and a .179 hitting percentage, its most efficient offensive set of the evening.
Match Notes
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Robinson led Tennessee State with eight kills, including five in the third set.
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Washington finished with four kills and a .400 hitting percentage, adding one solo block and two block assists.
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The opening set featured 10 ties and four lead changes.
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Tennessee State held four separate leads during the first set.
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The Tigers opened the second set with a 2-0 run and led 6-5 before SEMO regained control.
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Moore and Washington combined for a third-set block during a 3-0 Tennessee State scoring run.
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Jackson and Carter combined for 18 assists.
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Imperial and Poston finished with seven digs apiece.
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Tennessee State recorded 23 kills, 21 assists, 29 digs and 3.0 team blocks.
Up Next
Tennessee State concludes its two-match Ohio Valley Conference series against SEMO on Friday, Oct. 30, at 4 p.m. at Houck Field House in Cape Girardeau.
