FARGO, N.D. – Senior Haley Pa'akaula set a school record for single-match kills with 30 to lead the Towson University volleyball team to a 3-2 win over Utah Valley to close out the North Dakota State Tournament on Saturday evening. The Tigers (7-1) won the tournament title while posting their seventh straight victory. Pa'akaula was named the tournament MVP and was joined on the all-tournament team by freshman Jocelyn Kuilan and redshirt junior Candace Steadman.

THE BASICS
North Dakota State Tournament, Day Two, Towson 3 Utah Valley 2
Bentson Bunker FH, Fargo, N.D.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Utah Valley jumped out to a 14-9 lead in the first set on a kill from Abby Jensen. A 3-0 run by the Tigers tied the set at 19-19. Towson took a 23-21 lead on a service error by Utah Valley (2-5). A kill from Lauren Bakker kicked off a 4-0 run by Utah Valley to earn a 25-23 first set win.
• Towson hit just .195 to Utah Valley's .308 clip in the first set. Bakker had three kills and a block in the set.
• The two teams battled through 11 ties and three lead changes in the second set. Tied at 23-23 in the set, the Tigers took advantage of a kill from sophomore Julymar Otero and a ball handling error by Utah Valley to take a 25-23 set win and tie the match at 1-1.
• Pa'akaula powered through six kills to lead the Tigers to the win in the set.
• Utah Valley opened up a 5-0 lead in the third set and forced the Tigers to call an early timeout. A 4-0 run including a pair of service aces from senior Kyana Miller pulled the Tigers to within one, 12-11. The two teams traded points as Utah Valley grabbed a 23-20 lead in the set. A kill from freshman Carola Biver started a 6-1 run that helped the Tigers battle back and claim a 26-24 set win. That win gave Towson a 2-1 lead in the match.
• Towson hit .389 in the set as Pa'akaula led all players with 10 kills in the set. Miller dished out 12 assists to go with the two service aces.
• The fourth set saw the two teams battle through 11 ties and four lead changes. Utah Valley closed the set on a 9-1 run and claimed a 25-17 set win and forced the match to a fifth set.
• Utah Valley hit .387 to Towson's .152 in the set. Jensen led Utah Valley with six kills in the set.
• The fifth set saw the two teams trading points early. Utah Valley took a 12-11 lead on a kill from Mackay Fifita. However that was the final point Utah Valley would score in the match. A pair of kills from Pa'akaula and a pair of blocks gave the Tigers a 15-12 set win and victory in the match.
• Towson hit .333 in the set while Pa'akaula had four kills.

QUOTABLE

• "We played well at times and there were definitely times we struggled but our leadership came through in both physical performances as well as a mental uplift," said Towson Head Coach Don Metil. "We controlled Utah Valley in the fifth set late in the match with a few big blocks and it's nice to wrap up a difficult road trip with three wins."

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• Pa'akaula broke the school record for kills in a single-match that had been set by four players, the last in 2007.
• Pa'akaula recorded her third straight double-double in the win with 30 kills and 12 digs.
• Kuilan added 13 kills in the win while Miller finished with 31 assists.

The Tigers return to action on Saturday, September 12 when the Penn Tournament begins. Towson faces Fairfield at 1 p.m. that day.