TOWSON, Md. – Behind a season-high 16 kills from senior
Victoria Williams, the Towson University volleyball team earned a 3-0 win over James Madison University in Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) play. The Tigers (16-3, 3-2 CAA) battled through 40 ties and 18 lead changes to win their second straight match.
"We did a real good job in the gym the past couple of days establishing the middle so we didn't have to depend on the outsides as much," said Tiger Head Coach
Don Metil. "Tori had a good mismatch and we wanted to get her the ball as much as we could. It was also nice to see our set distribution a little more even. We also worked on effort and not quitting this week and have the confidence and the girls did a good job with effort and hustle tonight."
James Madison (10-8, 2-3 CAA) jumped out to a 6-2 lead in the first set on a ball handling error by the Tigers. Towson responded with a 5-0 run to turn a four-point deficit into a one-point advantage, 7-6. Sophomore
Lindsay Flaherty had a pair of kills and a block during that stretch. The two teams traded points over the next several serves. Three straight points by the Tigers with the set tied at 13-13 gave Towson a 16-13 lead and led to a James Madison timeout. The Tigers pushed their lead to 21-16 on a kill from Williams and forced the Dukes to take their second timeout. A kill from junior
Haley Pa'akaula gave Towson a 25-20 set win.
Williams led all players with five kills in the first set while Pa'akaula and senior
Saitaua Iosia each had four kills.
The second set was a back and forth battle that featured 23 ties and 11 lead changes. James Madison looked to have the edge as an attack error by the Tigers put the visitors up 25-24. However back-to-back kills from Williams gave Towson a 26-25 edge. James Madison tied the set at 26-26 on a kill from
Kate Whitmire. Towson used a kill and a solo block from redshirt sophomore
Candace Steadman to claim the 28-26 set win and a 2-0 lead in the match.
Williams was a perfect 6-for-6 on her attack attempts in the set while Steadman added three kills and a pair of blocks.
The two squads went back and forth early in the third set. With the set tied at 9-9, Towson used a 8-4 run to take a 17-13 lead. Williams had three kills during the stretch while Pa'akaula added a pair. The two teams traded points before a kill from Iosia put the Tigers ahead 23-20. A kill from Flaherty closed out a 25-20 set win and a Tiger victory in the match.
Williams hit .520 in the match en route to her 16 kills. She added three blocks in the contest. Iosia finished with 11 kills and five digs while Pa'akaula had 10 kills and nine digs. Flaherty contributed 10 kills and four blocks. Redshirt junior
Aimee Schubert dished out 27 assists with eight digs while freshman
Barbara Lopez posted 20 assists. Senior
Paige Sekerak had 12 digs.
Whitmire and
Lizzy Briones had nine kills each for James Madison.
Towson is back in action on Saturday, Oct. 11 when it hosts William & Mary at 7 p.m. in SECU Arena. The Tribe fell at Delaware on Friday night.
