PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – The Towson University volleyball team battled through 22 ties and 12 lead changes for a 3-1 victory over Fairfield University in its first match of the Crowne Plaza Philadelphia West Penn Invitational. The Tigers (8-1) won their eighth straight match as freshman Jocelyn Kuilan had a season-high 19 kills.

THE BASICS
Crowne Plaza Philadelphia West Penn Invitational, Day Two, Towson 3 Fairfield 1
The Palestra, Philadelphia, Pa.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Fairfield (3-5) opened up a 14-9 lead in the first set on a ball handling error by the Tigers. Towson responded with a 7-0 run to take a 16-15 lead. Kuilan had four kills for the Tigers during that stretch. The two teams traded points back-and-forth and found themselves tied at 18-18. Towson used a 7-1 run to take the first set, 25-19. Redshirt sophomore Annika Rigterink had kill and a pair of blocks during that stretch.
• Towson hit .231 to Fairfield's .132 in the first set. Kuilan recorded seven of the Tigers' 15 first set kills.
• Trailing 14-13 in the second set, Towson used back-to-back service aces from redshirt freshman Anna Holehouse to take a 15-14 lead. The service aces were part of a 5-0 run that gave the Tigers a 17-14 advantage. A block from sophomore Julymar Otero and junior Lindsay Flaherty put the Tigers ahead 20-16. A kill from Otero closed out a 25-18 set win and gave the Tigers a 2-0 lead in the match.
• Towson used four service aces in the set to claim the win. Holehouse had five digs, two service aces and three assists in the set.
• The third set was the closest of the match as the two squads battled through 10 ties and six lead changes. The two teams were tied at 24-24 before back-to-back kills gave the Stags the 26-24 win and forced the match to a fourth set.
• Fairfield hit .243 in the third set and got four kills from Megan O'Sullivan in the set.
• A kill from senior and Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Offensive Player of the Week Haley Pa'akaula helped the Tigers open up 9-5 lead in the fourth. A kill from Kuilan extended the advantage to 16-12. A block from Pa'akaula and Flaherty gave Towson a 22-14 advantage in the set. Towson claimed a 25-17 set victory and a win in the match on a kill from Otero.
• Towson hit .367 to Fairfield's .000 in the fourth set. Pa'akaula led the Tigers with four kills.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• Kuilan posted four service aces and five digs to go along with her season-high in kills.
• Holehouse finished with a season-high 25 digs, six assists and four service aces.
• Towson had a season-high 11 team blocks as six players recorded at least one block.  

The Tigers return to action when they face the host Penn Quakers at 7:30 p.m. this evening.