CARBONDALE, Ill. | Jayden James registered a team-high nine kills as the Grambling State University volleyball team fought hard in its season-opening match on Friday afternoon, falling 3-0, to Southern Illinois-Edwardsville during Day 1 of the Saluki Bash at the Banterra Center. 

Grambling State (0-1) dropped the opening set, 25-15, but forced SIUE to the limit in the second, falling 25-20. The Cougars (1-0) picked up the sweep in the third, winning, 25-12. 

HOW IT HAPPENED 

First Set 

• Grambling State raced out to a 6-4 advantage after a kill by Maggie Plush and an SIUE error 
• With the GSU trailing, 12-11, Southern Illinois-Edwardsville used a 7-2 run to grab a 19-13 lead 
• The Cougars pulled away to win the set, 25-15 

Second Set 

• The Lady Tigers opened the set on fire and took advantage of attacking errors by SIUE to take a 9-5 lead 
• The Cougars closed the gap to 9-8 before a kill by Kai Williams gave GSU a 10-8 advantage 
• SIUE used a 6-1 run to take a 14-11 lead after a service ace by Caroline Waite 
• Grambling State answered and grabbed a 15-14 advantage after a Jayden James kill 
• A kill by Hillary English gave GSU a 17-16 lead, but SIUE answered with three straight points to push the margin to 19-17 
• The Lady Tigers could not rally as Southern Illinois-Edwardsville took the set, 25-20 

Third Set 

• The Cougars opened the set on a 6-2 run 
• Grambling State kept the set close, cutting the margin to 9-6 after an attacking error by Sydney Hummert 
• SIUE continued to extend the advantage, taking a 18-9 lead after a kill by Julia Treichel 
• Grambling State could not recover as the Cougars claimed the match with a 25-12 

   
INSIDE THE NUMBERS 

• Grambling State finished with 20 kills on 107 total attacks, with 44 digs, 18 assists, one service ace and 5.0 total team blocks 
• The Lady Tigers registered eight kills on 34 total attacks in the opening set and had seven kills on 35 attacks in the second set 
• Jayden James led GSU with nine kills on 36 total attacks 
• Ana Calderon recorded 10 assists 
• Nyah Ellis paced the defense with 16 digs 
• Southern Illinois-Edwardsville finished with 40 kills on 109 total attacks, with 58 digs, 38 assists, 7.0 total team blocks and two service aces 
• The Cougars recorded 17 kills in the opening set, hitting .324 
• Julia Treichel led SIUE with a double-double of 13 digs and a team-high 11 kills 
• Carolina Waite added 18 assists and 10 digs 
• Alyse Drifka dished out 11 assists 
• Nicoe Kijowski also recorded a a team-high 13 digs 

UP NEXT 
Grambling State concludes play in the Saluki Bash against the host, Southern Illinois, on Saturday. First serve is set for 1 p.m. from the Banterra Center and the match will be streamed live on ESPN+. 

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