ROCHESTER, Mich. – The Towson University volleyball team captured the Golden Grizzlies Invitational with a pair of wins on Saturday afternoon. The Tigers defeated Kent State, 3-0 and battled for a 3-2 win over Oakland to finish nonconference play with a 14-0 record.

Towson was led by tournament MVP Jocelyn Kuilan and she was joined on the all-tournament team by Anna Holehouse and Carola Biver. Kuilan led the Tigers with 41 kills, 14 digs and five blocks over the weekend. Holehouse contributed 65 digs and 14 assists in the three matches while Biver posted 29 kills and 36 digs in the tournament.

THE BASICS
Towson 3, Kent State 0 (25-10, 26-24, 25-20)
Towson 3, Oakland 0 (25-22, 25-23, 17-25, 19-25, 15-8)
AC O'rena, Rochester, Mich.
Day Two of the Golden Grizzlies Invitational

HOW IT HAPPENED (Kent State Match)

• With the first set tied at 5-5, Towson used a 6-1 run to take an 11-6 lead and forced Kent State (1-9) to use an early timeout. Sophomore Silvia Grassini and Kuilan each contributed two kills during that stretch. Two more kills from Grassini helped the Tigers extend their advantage to 14-9. Junior Peyton Moyles had a kill which put the Black and Gold ahead 19-9 and led to another Kent State timeout. Four kills from junior Olamide Sonuga down the stretch helped secure a 25-10 set win for the Tigers.
• The two squads battled through six ties and three lead changes in the second set. Trailing 24-23, the Tigers called timeout. Back-to-back kills from Biver and an attack error by the Golden Flashes allowed the Tigers to claim a 26-24 set win and take a 2-0 lead in the match.
• A kill from Biver helped the Tigers open up a 9-4 lead in the third set. A block from Grassini and Biver pushed the Towson advantage to 14-5. A kill from sophomore Annie Ertz allowed the Tigers to take a 17-8 lead. Four straight points for the Golden Flashes, including a pair of kills from Darby Connor pulled Kent State to within four, 20-16. The two teams battled down the stretch before a kill from senior Julymar Otero finished off a 25-20 set win and Towson claimed a 3-0 win.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED (Oakland Match)

• The match against the Golden Grizzlies was a back-and-forth affair that featured 28 ties and 13 lead changes.
• Towson held a 10-7 lead in the first set on a kill from Kuilan. The two squads traded points before a block from Grassini and Biver allowed the Tigers to take a 19-16 edge. Oakland (5-7) battled back and tied the set at 22-22. Kills from Moyles and Ertz followed by a service ace from sophomore Marrisa Wonders gave Towson a 25-22 set win.
• The Tigers and Golden Grizzlies battled through 10 early ties in the second set. An attack error by the Tigers gave Oakland a 16-14 lead. A kill from Kuilan tied the frame at 19-19. A service ace from Lindsay Wightman allowed Oakland to take a 21-19 edge. Towson responded with a 4-0 run, highlighted by a kill from Biver and went ahead 23-21. The two teams traded points before an attack error by the Golden Grizzlies secured a 25-23 set win for the Tigers and gave the Black and Gold a 2-0 advantage.
• Oakland took a 15-10 lead in the third set on a kill from Darien Bandel. An attack error by the Tigers pushed the Golden Grizzlies advantage to 20-13. A pair of kills from Bandel gave Oakland a 25-17 set win and forced the match to a fourth set.
• A service error by the Tigers allowed Oakland to take an 11-5 lead in the fourth set. A kill from Bandel pushed the home team's advantage to 18-10. The two teams continued to battle before a kill from Sammy Condon allowed Oakland to take the set, 25-19 and the match was tied at 2-2.
• Towson quickly opened up a 5-0 lead in the fifth set as Ertz had a kill and Oakland made four straight attack errors. Kills from Kuilan and Grassini pushed the Towson advantage to 8-2. A kill from Otero pulled the Tigers to within five points of the win, 10-7. Freshman Camryn Allen delivered a service ace, which gave the Tigers a 12-7 lead. Towson closed out a 15-8 set win on a kill from Kuilan.

 
 
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• The Tigers are one of seven Division I schools that remain undefeated at this point of the season (Wisconsin, Minnesota, Penn State, Miami, Florida, James Madison and the Tigers).
• Towson hit .234 against Kent State while holding the Golden Flashes to a .047 percentage.
• Biver and Wonders led the Tigers with double-doubles against Kent State. Biver had 14 kills and 15 digs while Wonders contributed 27 assists and 13 assists.
• Grassini posted 12 digs and hit a blistering .545 against Kent State.
• Myla King led Kent State with eight kills against the Tigers.
• The match against Oakland marked the first time this season the Tigers have been forced to play five sets.
• Towson held Oakland to a .146 hitting percentage in its second match of the day as the Tigers have held 13 of 14 opponents to a hitting percentage under .200.
• The Tigers had four players reach double-digit kills against the Golden Grizzlies as Kuilan led the group with 11 kills. It was the third time this season the Tigers have had four players with double-digit kills in the same match.
• Ertz contributed a double-double as she had 10 kills and 12 digs.
• Wonders dished out 28 assists against Oakland while Holehouse finished with 24 digs.

 
The Tigers are back in action when Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) play begins next weekend. The Tigers visit Elon on Friday, Sept. 22 and then head to William & Mary on Sunday, Sept. 24.