LORMAN, Miss. — Texas Southern volleyball showed resilience and grit in a hard-fought five-set victory over Alcorn State on Sunday at the Davey L. Whitney Complex, winning 3–2 (25-17, 25-18, 14-25, 23-25, 25-10).
After jumping out to a 2–0 lead behind efficient attacking and strong defensive play, the Lady Tigers faced adversity as Alcorn rallied to take the next two sets.
Texas Southern responded with urgency in the fifth, coming out aggressively and jumping to an early lead. The Tigers never looked back, using a balanced attack and defensive pressure to stifle Alcorn's momentum and seal the match with a dominant 25–10 final set.
Lauren Battle led Texas Southern with 14 kills, six digs and two blocks. Gracie Lee added 10 kills and 10 digs, while Morgynne McQueen hit .636 with nine kills and contributed defensively with a block and a dig.
Kennedi Walker anchored the back row with 11 digs and seven block assists. Libero Morelia Lorenzo Diaz finished with a match-high 20 digs and two service aces.
TSU out-blocked Alcorn 11-5 and posted a .186 hitting percentage overall. The Tigers were especially efficient in the fifth set, converting 90 percent of their side outs.
"It feels good to get the win, but quite honestly, I'm not totally pleased with the play," said head coach Alexis Austin. "Something we continue to work on is how to start strong and maintain those leads—maintain our style of play a little bit better."
"It's a big hurdle for us going into a set five and being able to finish and want that win for ourselves and each other as a team," the coach added. "It shows perseverance and tenacity. It's always harder to be on the road—we have to come in a little bit stronger. On to the next one!"
Texas Southern returns to action Monday as it heads to Baton Rouge to take on Southern. First serve is scheduled for 6 p.m.
