GRAMBLING, La. | They say nothing is better than getting a victory, except it is even bigger when it is over your rivals.

The Grambling State University volleyball team won its fourth straight over rival Southern, completing a season sweep of the Jaguars with a 3-0 Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) victory on Monday night at the Fredrick C. Hobdy Assembly Center.

Grambling State (11-8 overall, 8-1 SWAC) hasn't dropped a match to the rivals since a 3-0 defeat on March 26. Since then, the rivalry has been one-sided with four straight wins for the Black and Gold.

In the opening set, Grambling State, which remained unbeaten at home this season, used a 9-0 run to grab a 25-14 win. The Lady Tigers trailed by as many as six points twice in the second, but rallied for a 25-22 victory. GSU completed the three-set sweep with a 25-13 win.

HOW IT HAPPENED 
First Set 

• Grambling State jumped out to a 5-1 advantage after an attacking error by Akilah Smith
• Back came Southern, using a 4-1 run to close the gap to 6-5
• The Jaguars (2-19, 2-7) tied the set at 9, but a Maggie Plush kill gave GSU the 10-9 lead
• Plush's kill sparked a 5-0 run as the Lady Tigers grabbed a 14-9 advantage 
• Southern closed the gap to 16-14 after a kill Kailee Deffebaugh
• Kills by Adaizah Millett and Zyonn Smith, along with a service ace by Ana Calderon pushed GSU advantage to 19-14
• The Lady Tigers forced a timeout as Destiny Thomas registered back-to-back kills to take control of the set, 21-14
• Grambling State closed out the set, winning 25-14

Second Set 

• Southern raced out to a 7-1 advantage to open the set
• Grambling State answered, using a furious 6-1 run after a thunderous kill by Jayden James, to cut the deficit to 8-7
• The Jaguars continued to lead, forcing GSU to call a timeout, with a 14-10 advantage
• Blocks by Jordan Felix and Xavier Taylor, along with an attacking error gave Southern a 19-13 lead
• Grambling State forced a timeout after back-to-back kills by Destiny Thomas and an attacking error, closing the deficit to 20-18
• The Lady Tigers climbed all the way back in the set, trailing by as many as six twice, after block assists by Thomas and Plush tied the set at 20
• GSU continued its offensive assault with a kill by James and an attacking, giving the Lady Tigers a 22-21 advantage
• Grambling State stormed back and completed the rally with a 25-22 win

Third Set 

• Grambling State opened the set on a 5-1 run and extended the margin to 7-2 after a kill by Thomas
• The Lady Tigers continued to slowly pull away, pushing the lead to 12-5
• A kill by Kai Williams extended GSU's margin to 17-7 
• Grambling State continued to push the advantage, leading 20-9 and forcing a timeout after a kill by Thomas
• Southern trailed 22-10 and could not recover as GSU sealed the three-set win, 25-13

INSIDE THE NUMBERS 

• Grambling State finished with 48 kills in 108 total attacks, with 21 errors (hitting .250)
• The Lady Tigers recorded 52 digs, 45 assists, six service aces and six solo blocks
• Jayden James led the offense with 15 kills and nine digs
• Destiny Thomas tallied nine kills and three digs
• Zyonn Smith posted nine kills and 13 digs
• Haley Gomez registered three kills, two block solos and one block assist
• Ana Calderon dished out 24 assists, while Hillary English added 16
• Nyah Ellis added 13 digs
• Southern finished with 15 kills in 89 total attacks, with 18 errors
• The Jaguars recorded 37 digs, 14 block assists, 13 assists and three service aces
• Janell Bye-Blacknard finished with four kills

UP NEXT 
Grambling State wrapped up its two-match homestead on Monday and returns to the road on Thursday with a trip to Pine Bluff, Ark. to take on Arkansas-Pine Bluff. First serve against the Golden Lions is set for 6:30 p.m.

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