Lady Tigers go 3-2 at first SWAC Roundup, begin divisional play Sunday

HOUSTON – The Lady Tigers of Texas Southern University concluded play at the season's first Southwestern Athletic Conference Volleyball Roundup with two wins and a loss in their final three matches.
 
TSU swept past Jackson State and Mississippi Valley State on Saturday before falling in four sets to defending SWAC champion Alabama State on Sunday.
 
The Lady Tigers (5-7, 3-2 SWAC) will open SWAC West Division play this weekend when they head to Louisiana for two matches. TSU visits Southern on Sunday for a 5 p.m. match, before visiting Grambling on Monday.
 

Lady Tigers 3, Jackson State 0 (25-19, 25-21, 25-15)
Courtesy of SWAC.org
 
Alexis Austin put away 13 kills as Texas Southern swept Jackson State (2-15, 1-2) during day two of the SWAC West Volleyball Roundup.
 
Nicole Robinson put down six kills for TSU in the win. Asia Howard dished out 13 assists and added eight digs. Cassidy Jannson's nine digs led Texas Southern in the category.
 
Jackson State – who was outhit .219 -.048 by TSU – got six kills and nine digs from Alexandra Burney. Terri Irving and Sapphire Simpson put up 13 assists each, and Markayshia Masani added 13 digs. Camry Dabney had five kills, but struggled in the attack game as she hit -.050 in the contest.
 
JSU committed nearly as many errors as they did kills (27-22), allowing a more efficient Texas Southern front to hold control for much of the contest. After winning set one and snuffing out a quick JSU start, Texas Southern cruised to victory in set three.
 
 
Lady Tigers 3, Mississippi Valley State 0 (25-22, 25-9, 25-11)
Courtesy of SWAC.org
 
Alexis Austin's nine kills paced a balanced Texas Southern attack during a straight-set win over Mississippi Valley State (2-16, 0-4 SWAC) in day two of the SWAC West Volleyball Roundup.
 
Eight players had multiple kills for the Lady Tigers. Cassidy Jannson posted 11 digs and seven kills, and Asia Howard and Alyssa Chudian combined for 23 assists.
 
Taylor Selfridge's nine kills accounted for nearly half of the Devilettes' total in the match, and Kalin Barnes was limited to two kills. Texas Southern outhit MVSU .318–.000 in the contest, and outside of a back-and-forth first set that featured 15 ties and nine lead changes, the Lady Tigers were in the driver's seat for much of the way.
 
 
Alabama State 3, Lady Tigers 1  (18-25, 25-23, 25-19, 25-14)
Courtesy of SWAC.org
 
Bayle' Bennett spiked 14 kills and Kori Kutsch dished out 44 assists as Alabama State (12-7, 5-0 SWAC) defeated Texas Southern (5-7, 3-2 SWAC) in a four-set affair to conclude the teams' play in the SWAC West Volleyball Roundup.
 
Ni'yesha Brown chipped in 13 kills to aid the Lady Hornets' cause, and Krysta Medearis put down nine. Asha Daniels posted 27 digs to lead the defensive effort, and Payten Clark figured in on 10 total blocks.
 
Texas Southern was led by Alexis Austin's 11 kills offensively. Kirby Anderson, Nicole Robinson and Cassidy Jannson each delivered six kills. Asia Howard dished out 17 assists and picked up 13 digs, and Aryanna Collins led the way with 20 digs.
 
The Lady Tigers ambushed Alabama State early, jumping out to a 10-1 lead that the Lady Hornets were unable to recover from in set one. Set two was a much different story, as Alabama State scored six of the frame's first seven points. Texas Southern regrouped to force ties at 14 and 18, but Alabama State ultimately fended off a TSU charge to tie the match.
 
Bennett asserted herself early in set four, picking up nine kills in the stanza and accounting for seven straight Alabama State points during the early goings. Lady Hornets broke the tie in the period and coasted to victory in set five.