ROCHESTER, Mich. – The Towson University volleyball team battled through 32 ties and 13 lead changes for a 3-1 win over Fort Wayne in the opening match of the Golden Grizzlies Invitational on Friday afternoon. Junior Jocelyn Kuilan paced the Towson (12-0) attack with 25 kills.

THE BASICS
Towson 3, Fort Wayne 1 (25-23, 29-31, 25-22, 26-24)
AC O'rena, Rochester, Mich.
Day One of the Golden Grizzlies Invitational

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Tigers jumped out to a 14-10 lead in the first set on a kill from Kuilan. A service ace from sophomore Silvia Grassini pushed the Towson advantage to 19-16. Sophomore Olivia Finckel gave the Tigers a 21-19 lead. Fort Wayne (7-6) battled back and tied the set at 23-23. A kill from senior Julymar Otero and an attack error by the Mastodons gave Towson a 25-23 set win.
• The second set was the most closely contested of the match. The two squads battled through 18 ties and four lead changes. Fort Wayne used back-to-back kills from Nicole Rightnowar to secure a 31-29 set win and knot the match at 1-1.
• A kill from Otero and a block from sophomore Annie Ertz helped the Tigers take a 13-9 lead in the third set. Back-to-back kills from Kuilan pushed the Towson advantage to 17-11. Another kill from Kuilan helped the Tigers take a 21-14 lead in the set. The two sides continued to battle before a kill from Ertz closed out a 25-22 set win and gave Towson a 2-1 lead.
• Fort Wayne jumped out to a 7-1 lead in the fourth set and extended its advantage to 14-9 on a Mastodons block. A kill from junior Peyton Moyles on the next play started a 9-2 run that allowed the Tigers to take an 18-16 lead. Ertz had a kill and a pair of service aces to lead the Tigers during that stretch. The two teams continued to fight for each point and found themselves tied at 24-24. Back-to-back kills from Kuilan allowed the Tigers to take the fourth set 26-24 and the match, 3-1.

 
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• The Tigers are riding a 12-match win streak currently. The longest win streak in program history is a 16-match streak that the 2001 squad pulled off.
• Towson held Fort Wayne to a .196 hitting percentage. The Mastodons are the 11th Tiger opponent to hit under .200 so far this season.
• The Tigers matched their season-high with 14 team blocks in the contest. Grassini powered the Tiger defense at the net with nine blocks.
• Kuilan added seven digs, three blocks and two service aces to go with her match-high 25 kills.
• Sophomore Marrisa Wonders had 33 assists and 13 digs while redshirt junior Anna Holehouse finished with 19 digs and eight assists.
• Rightnowar led Fort Wayne with 14 kills and eight digs. 

The Tigers are back in action on day two of the Golden Grizzlies Invitational. Towson faces Kent State on Saturday, Sept. 16 at 10 a.m. and then face Oakland at 7 p.m.