BOONE, N.C. – The Towson University volleyball team defeated Eastern Tennessee State University (ETSU) 3-1 on Saturday afternoon to close out the Appalachian State Invitational. The Tigers swept a tournament for the second straight weekend.

The win improved the Tigers to 6-0 on the season, it's the second straight season the Tigers have started the year with a 6-0 record.

Junior Carola Biver was named the tournament MVP. Biver contributed 39 kills and hit .258 for the weekend. She also had 21 digs and six assists. She was joined on the all-tournament team by fellow juniors Jocelyn Kuilan and Anna Holehouse. Kuilan finished with 35 kills and a .329 hitting percentage. She added 13 digs, five service aces and six blocks. Holehouse continued her defensive dominance to start the season with 54 digs and contributed 17 assists and four service aces.

THE BASICS
Towson 3, ETSU 1 (23-25, 25-23, 26-24, 25-20)
Holmes Center, Boone, N.C.
Day Two of the Appalachian State Invitational

HOW IT HAPPENED

• A kill from Kuilan gave Towson a 12-7 lead in the first set. The Tigers pushed their advantage to 15-10 on a kill from senior Julymar Otero. ETSU used a 6-1 run to tie the set at 16-16 as Kalee Vanderhorst had a pair of kills. The two teams battled through five ties over the next several serves and found themselves knotted at 23-23 on the scoreboard. A block and a kill from Leah Clayton gave the Bucs a 25-23 set win.
• The second set was a tightly contested one as the two squads battled through 15 ties and five lead changes. Neither team took a lead of more than three points in the set. With the Tigers and Bucs tied at 23-23, Towson got a kill from Biver to take a 24-23 edge. A service ace from Kuilan on the next play secured a 25-23 set win for the Tigers and tied the match at 1-1.
• With Towson leading 17-15 in the third set, ETSU used a 5-1 run to take a 20-18 advantage. The two teams traded points before a kill from Kuilan tied it up at 23-23. The Bucs went back up on top, 24-23 behind a kill from Rylee Milhorn. Towson then rallied off three straight points for a 26-24 set win. Kuilan and Biver registered kills while  Holehouse finished things off with a service ace.
• A kill from sophomore Silvia Grassini allowed the Tigers to open up an 11-7 lead in the fourth set. Sophomore Annie Ertz recorded a kill which pushed the Towson advantage to 16-8. Another kill from Grassini extended the Towson advantage to 22-16. The Tigers closed out a 25-20 set win with a kill from Ertz and claimed victory in the match.

 BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• Towson completed its second perfect weekend in tournament play (3-0 at Catamount Classic and Appalachian State Invitational).
• The Tigers started the season with at least six straight wins for the second straight year and the sixth time in program history.
• Towson had four players record at least 10 kills in the match. Biver led the way with a season-high 17 kills while Kuilan added 15. Ertz finished with 11 while Otero contributed 10 kills.
• Sophomore Marrisa Wonders compiled her fifth double-double in six matches with 33 assists and 10 digs while junior Peyton Moyles added 20 assists and 10 digs for her second double-double.
• Holehouse contributed 25 digs and eight assists.
• Towson finished the match hitting .282 while ETSU posted a .209 percentage. The Bucs are the first team to hit .200 or better against the Tigers this season.
• AJ Lux led ETSU with 17 kills.

 
The Tigers are back in action when they host the Towson Tiger Invitational, Sept. 7-10. The action kicks off in SECU Arena on Thursday, Sept. 7 as Towson takes on Cal State Fullerton at 7 p.m.