JACKSON, Miss. | The Grambling State University volleyball team split a pair of matches on Saturday during the opening day of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Roundup, hosted by Jackson State. 

Grambling State (6-9 overall, 3-2 SWAC) defeated Mississippi Valley State, 3-1, to begin the day, but dropped a 3-1 decision to Alabama A&M.

Grambling State 3, Mississippi Valley State 1
The Lady Tigers claimed the match, 21-25, 25-11, 25-18, 25-15

HOW IT HAPPENED
- Mississippi Valley State grabbed a 10-6 lead after a service ace, but GSU battled back and tied the opening set at 11 after a kill by Kalee Cadwell.
- With the first set tied at 20, the Delta Devils took a 1-0 lead by outscoring the Lady Tigers, 5-1, down the stretch.
- The second set was tied at 9, but Grambling State reeled off 13 straight points and tied the match at 1 with a 25-11 victory
- The Lady Tigers opened the third set on an 8-1 run and cruised to a 28-18 victory
- Grambling State put the match away with a 25-15 win in the fourth set

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- Grambling State finished with 45 kills, 20 errors and 130 total attacks
- The Lady Tigers hit .333 and registered 12 kills on 27 attacks in the second set
- Tamaira Johnson and Semira Fields each recorded 12 kills to lead the GSU offense
- Fields added nine digs and two blocks
- Kalee Cadwell dished out 16 assists
- Sheila Borders added 11 assists
- Jada Taylor, the SWAC Defensive Player of the Week, posted 24 digs
- Grambling State finished with 69 digs, 35 assists and 14 service aces
- Mississippi Valley State tallied 24 kills, 20 errors and 126 total attacks
- Jelia Fullerton led MVSU with seven kills
- Sydney Ross added 11 assists
- Kiya Garza registered 16 digs, while Fullerton chipped in with 11
- The Delta Devils finished with 52 digs, 22 assists and nine service aces

Alabama A&M 3, Grambling State 1
The Bulldogs won the match, 25-16, 29-27, 18-25, 25-21

HOW IT HAPPENED
- Grambling State took a 7-6 in the first set after a kill by Tamaia Johnson, but Alabama A&M scored the next five points to take an 11-7 lead.
- The Lady Tigers closed the gap to 11-9, but the Lady Bulldogs used a 7-0 run to push the margin to 18-9.
- Alabama A&M closed out the first set, 25-16.
- The Lady Tigers took a 19-13 lead in the second set, but Alabama A&M battled back and won the set, 29-27.
- Grambling State led 21-14 in the third set before pulling away for a 25-18 victory
- Alabama A&M opened the fourth set on a 12-3 run and Grambling State could not recover in falling, 25-21.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- Grambling State finished with 43 kils, 27 errors and 149 total attacks
- The Lady Tigers hit .256 in the third set with 15 kills and 39 total attacks
- Tamaira Johnson registered 14 kills and four blocks
- Gillian Jones tallied 10 kills
- Kalee Cadwell dished out 18 assists, while Sheila Borders added 16
- Defensively, Jada Taylor chipped in 20 digs and Maurisa Harris recorded 12
- Grambling State finished with 63 digs, 39 assists and five service aces
- Alabama A&M finished with 51 kills, 25 errors and 160 total attacks
- The Lady Bulldogs hit .346 in the opening set with 11 kills on 26 total attacks
- Sydney Morant and Kori Mills led the offense with 13 
- Alabama A&M finished with 63 digs, 39 assists and six service aces

UP NEXT
Grambling State concludes play at the SWAC Roundup against Jackson State on Sunday. First serve is set for 1 p.m.

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