MURFREESBORO, Tenn. | Jayden James posted a double-double in kills and digs, but it wasn't enough as the Grambling State University volleyball team fell to Belmont, 3-1, at Alumni Memorial Gymnasium on Saturday to conclude play at the Blue Raider Invitational. 

Grambling State (2-7) dropped the opening set, 25-17 and fell behind by two sets, 25-21. The Lady Tigers fought back in the third set, taking the frame, 25-23. However, the Bruins (2-8) closed out the match with a 25-18 fourth-set victory. 

HOW IT HAPPENED 

First Set 

• Belmont opened the set with a 12-8 lead after a kill by Brooke Gilleland 
• The Bruins continued to play from the front and extended the advantage to 19-14, forcing GSU to call a timeout 
• Belmont stretched the margin to 23-16 after a kill by Kristen Clemons 
• Grambling State could not recover in dropping the opening set, 25-17 

Second Set 

• The Bruins raced out to a 7-2 lead after a kill by Ally Peterson as Destiny Thomas halted the run with a kill 
• Grambling State trailed, 11-5, but put together a 4-0 run, as Belmont was forced to call a timeout after the Lady Tigers trimmed the deficit to 11-9 
• GSU closed the gap to 19-17 after a kill by Jayden James 
• However, Belmont answered and stretched the lead to 21-17 
• The Lady Tigers cut the margin to 23-21, but could not get any closer in dropping the set, 25-21 

Third Set 

• With the score tied at five, Belmont got some distance with a 4-0 run to grab a 9-5 lead 
• Grambling State fell behind 15-11, but continued to battle back, closing the gap to 16-15 after a service ace by James 
• The Lady Tigers, behind a kill and an assist by Ana Calderon, tied the set at 19, forcing the Bruins to call a timeout 
• Grambling State continued its offensive surge with a block assist by Haley Gomez and Zyonn Smith, as the Lady Tigers led 21-19 
• A kill by James pushed GSU on the brink of winning the set at 24-22 and GSU closed it out to claim the set, 25-23 

Fourth Set 

• Grambling State fell behind 13-10 after a kill by Laura Shoopman 
• Belmont continued to extend the margin, pushing the lead to 17-11 
• The Lady Tigers scored three straight points and cut the deficit to 18-14 
• However, the Bruins stretched the advantage to 22-16 
• Belmont closed out the set, winning 25-18, to claim the match 
   

INSIDE THE NUMBERS 

• Grambling State finished with 50 kills in 141 total attacks, with 22 errors (hitting .199) 
• The Lady Tigers tallied 61 digs, 49 service aces, four service aces and 3.0 total team blocks 
• Jayden James led the offense with 21 kills and 15 digs 
• Ana Calderon and Hillary English recorded 24 and 19 assists, respectively 
• Nyah Ellis led the defense with 18 digs, while Calderon added 11 
• Belmont finished with 61 kills in 143 total attacks, with 16 errors (hitting .315) 
• The Bruins registered 63 digs, 57 assists, 8.0 total team blocks and five service aces 
• Laura Shoopman led four Bruin players in double-digit kills with 20 
• Kristen Clemons and Ally Peterson tallied 15 and 12 kills, while Brooke Gilleland chipped in with 10 
• Peyton O'Brien dished out 47 assists, along with 16 digs 

UP NEXT 
Grambling State will take a much-needed break off before returning to action in the Exit 81 Classic on Sept. 21. The Lady Tigers will welcome Central Baptist and Tougaloo College for a one-day classic at the Fredrick C. Hobdy Assembly Center. 

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