HOUSTON, Texas | The Grambling State University volleyball team split of pair of matches on Friday to begin play at the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Round-up, hosted by Texas Southern University. The Lady Tigers opened the day with a 3-2 come-from-behind victory over Jackson State, but dropped the nightcap to Alabama State, 3-0.
 
In the opener against Jackson State, Grambling State (5-12 overall, 1-1 SWAC) dropped the first set, 21-15, but bounced back with a 25-21 win in the second set to even the match at 1. In the third set, GSU held off JSU for the 25-23 win. However, Jackson State tied the match at 2 with a 25-17 fourth-set victory. Grambling State proved to be too much in the final set with a 15-11 win.
 
The Lady Tigers played their third five-set match in four days, including Thursday night's loss to Tougaloo.
 
Chasity Nicks and Talicia Lang each had a double-double of kills and digs. Nicks recorded a team-high 16 kills and 15 digs, while Lang added 10 kills and 15 digs. Keverion Ward finished with 11 kills. Diemend Richardson added 23 assists and seven digs, and L'Muriell Thrower chipped in with 22 assists and 12 digs. Defensively, Erinka Mollere tallied a team-high 23 digs.
 
Alexandra Burney led three Jackson State players in double-digit kills with 16 and added 17 digs. Camry Dabney and Tielar Richards registered 13 and 10 kills, respectively. Terri Irving and Sapphire Simpson tallied 28 and 24 assists each, with Irving picking up 12 digs. Defensively, Markayisha Masani led the way with 23 digs.
 
In the nightcap against Alabama State, the Lady Tigers dropped the match in straight sets, 25-11-, 25-19, 25-16.
 
Ward led Grambling State with nine kills, while Thrower added 12 assists. Mollere paced the team defensively with 12 digs.
 
Bayle` Bennett led the Lady Hornets (9-7, 2-0) with 11 kills. Kori Kutsch and Justus Tuiolosega each had 19 and 13 assists. Kutch and Asha Daniels finished with nine digs.
 
Inside the Numbers
· In Grambling State's victory, the Lady Tigers finished with 51 kills, 82 digs, 47 assists, nine total team blocks and three service aces.
· There were 22 ties and nine lead changes against Jackson State, including seven ties and two lead changes in the fifth set.
· Against Alabama State, GSU recorded 23 kills, 30 digs, 23 assists, four service aces and three total team blocks.
· In the two matches, Kevreion Ward finished with 20 kills and five digs.
 
News & Notes
· Grambling State played in its third five-set match in four days and ran its record to 2-3 in those games.
· On Tuesday, Chasity Nicks was named the SWAC Offensive Player of the Week.
· Also on Tuesday, Erineka Mollere was selected the SWAC Defensive Player of the Week.
 
Up Next
Grambling State returns to SWAC Round-up play on Saturday with a pair of matches, starting at 10 a.m. against Alabama A&M. The Lady Tigers conclude the second day of action with a 3 p.m. match against Alcorn State.
 
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