HARRISONBURG, Va. – The Towson University volleyball team rallied from a 2-0 deficit to force a fifth set but could not complete the comeback in a 3-2 loss to James Madison University to open Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) play on Wednesday night in Harrisonburg. Despite double-doubles from Jessica Lewis and Aimee Schubert the Tigers (13-2, 0-1 CAA) had their 13-match win streak snapped with the loss.

THE BASICS
James Madison 3, Towson 2
Sinclair Gymnasium, Harrisonburg, Va.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The two teams battled early in the first before a 6-1 run gave James Madison (11-3, 1-0 CAA) a 17-11 lead. Bryn Recker had a pair of kills during the run. Towson scored six of the next 10 points to pull to within three, 20-17. Lewis had a pair of kills to aid that Tiger run. However a service ace from Sarah Patterson wrapped up a 25-19 first set win for the home team.
• James Madison hit .258 to the Tigers' .059 clip in that first set. Recker led all players with five kills and three digs.
• The second set was a battle throughout as the two teams fought through nine ties and three lead changes. James Madison trailed 29-28 following a block from junior Lindsay Flaherty and sophomore Julymar Otero. However, the Dukes used a 3-0 run to take the second set, 31-29. An attack error by the Tigers on the final play of the set gave James Madison a 2-0 lead in the match.
• Both teams hit below .200 in the set as the Tigers posted a .150 hitting percentage and James Madison hit .123. Lewis and James Madison's Janey Goodman each had seven kills in the set.
• Whatever, Towson head coach Don Metil said to his team at the 10-minute break between the second and third sets seemed to work as the Tigers quickly opened up a 20-9 advantage in the third set on a kill from senior Haley Pa'akaula. A kill from Otero extended the Towson lead to 23-14. The two teams traded points before a block from Pa'akaula and freshman Allison Tiegs gave Towson a 25-19 set win.
• Towson hit .333 to James Madison's .229 clip in the set. Freshman Jocelyn Kuilan had five of the Tigers' 14 kills in the set.
• The fourth set again proved to be a battle as the Tigers and Dukes fought through nine ties and three lead changes. Tied at 17-17, Towson scored the next four points to take a 21-17 advantage. Schubert had a kill and a service ace during that stretch. After a kill from the Dukes briefly halted the run, the Tigers scored four of the next seven points to secure the 25-20 set win and force the match to a fifth set. Lewis had a pair of kills down the stretch.
• Towson hit .293 to James Madison's .171 hitting percentage in the fourth set. Lewis had seven kills and hit .583 in the set to go along with four digs.
• A 9-0 run helped James Madison open up a 9-1 advantage in the fifth and deciding set. Recker had three straight service aces in the set. The two teams traded points but that early hurdle proved too much for the Tigers to overcome as JMU claimed the 15-7 set win and victory in the match.
• James Madison hit .200 in the set and held the Tigers to a .000 hitting percentage.  

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• Lewis led the Tigers with 18 kills and 16 digs for her second double-double of the season. Her 16 digs tied her career-high set while at South Alabama.
• Schubert contributed 29 assists and 10 digs for her fourth double-double of the year and third straight. Schubert had four service aces to tie her career-high in that category.
• Redshirt freshman Anna Holehouse tied her career/season-high with 25 digs.
• Flaherty contributed eight kills and five blocks while Kuilan had 14 kills.

The Tigers are back in action on Sunday, Sept. 27 as they travel to Delaware for a 1 p.m. match.