NASHVILLE — Tennessee State volleyball opened its home schedule Tuesday night with a 3-0 loss to North Alabama at Kean Hall.
The Lions took the match 25-12, 25-16, 25-12 in front of 357 fans.
Wiktoria Jakubik led Tennessee State (0-7) with six kills, while Gabrielle Washington added five. Carsyn Stansberry and Sydney Robinson each finished with four kills. Gabriella Blevins recorded two kills on five attempts without an error to hit a team-best .400.
Triniti Jackson directed the offense with 16 assists and added eight digs and three block assists. Jordan Imperial led the Tigers defensively with 12 digs, while Sydni Poston added nine.
Set One — North Alabama 25, Tennessee State 12
North Alabama opened the match with a 5-0 run before Blevins put TSU on the board with a kill from Jackson. The Tigers continued to work back into the frame, with Washington recording kills to make it 14-4 and 15-5.
TSU found its strongest stretch late in the set. Trailing 19-7, Jakubik and Robinson recorded consecutive kills before a North Alabama attack error extended the Tigers' run to 3-0 and made it 19-10. Robinson added another kill two points later to bring TSU within 20-11.
Washington recorded her third kill of the set to make it 22-12 before North Alabama scored the final three points for a 25-12 win.
Set Two — North Alabama 25, Tennessee State 16
The Tigers responded with their strongest start of the night in the second set. Washington and Jakubik combined for a block on the opening point before Robinson's kill gave TSU a 2-1 advantage. The teams were even at 2 before North Alabama moved ahead.
TSU stayed within striking distance. Stansberry and Jakubik recorded kills to bring the Tigers within 7-5, and Jackson followed with a kill as TSU worked the deficit to 10-7. Italya Carter's service ace later made it 11-9.
Washington then delivered a kill to pull the Tigers within two at 12-10. After North Alabama extended its advantage to 17-10, Washington answered with another kill before Jackson and Blevins teamed up for a block to make it 17-12.
TSU made another push late behind kills from Lacy, Jakubik and Blevins. Jakubik added another kill to cut the Lions' lead to 20-16 before North Alabama closed the set on a 5-0 run.
Set Three — North Alabama 25, Tennessee State 12
Jakubik recorded TSU's first kill of the third set to make it 2-1. Jackson and Savanna Moore later combined for a block before Stansberry's kill brought the Tigers within 9-4.
Stansberry and Jakubik produced consecutive kills later in the frame to make it 13-6. TSU continued to battle after North Alabama extended its lead, scoring on consecutive Lion attack errors before Robinson added a kill to make it 20-10.
Jackson and Washington combined for a block late in the set, and Stansberry followed with her fourth kill of the match before North Alabama closed the frame, 25-12.
Tennessee State finished with 23 kills, 42 digs and four total blocks. The Tigers' blocking improved throughout the match, recording two block assists in the opening set, three in the second and four in the third.
Up Next
Tennessee State remains at Kean Hall to host Evansville on Thursday at 6 p.m. The Tigers will then travel to Evansville for a rematch with the Purple Aces on Saturday.
