ELON, N.C. – Juniors Jocelyn Kuilan and Carola Biver combined for 27 kills to lead the Towson University volleyball team to a 3-1 win at Elon University in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) opener for both squads on Friday night. The Tigers, who won their CAA opener for the second straight year, won their 15th straight match.

THE BASICS
Towson 3, Elon 1 (25-18, 25-20, 18-25, 25-23)
Alumni Gym, Elon, N.C.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Trailing 6-5 in the first set, the Tigers (15-0, 1-0 CAA) used a 4-0 run to take a 9-6 advantage. Sophomore Annie Ertz contributed a pair of blocks during that stretch.
• Back-to-back kills from Ertz and Biver pushed the Towson advantage to 12-9 in the first set.
• The two teams battled back-and-forth before a ball handling error by the Phoenix (10-5, 0-1 CAA) gave the visitors a 20-16 lead and forced Elon to call timeout.
• Kills from Kuilan and Biver helped the Tigers close out a 25-18 first set win.
• Back-to-back service aces from redshirt junior Anna Holehouse allowed the Tigers to open up a 4-0 lead in the second set and Elon had to call an early timeout.
• A pair of kills from Ertz and one from Kuilan gave Towson a 13-7 lead in the set.
• A kill from sophomore Silvia Grassini helped the Black and Gold take an 18-13 advantage and the Phoenix used its second timeout.
• Kills from Grassini and Ertz pushed the Towson lead to 21-15 in the second set.
• The Tigers and Phoenix traded points before kills from Kuilan and Biver finished off a 25-20 second set win and gave Towson a 2-0 lead in the match.
• A pair of kills from Kam Terry helped Elon open up a 10-4 lead in the third set.
• A kill from Sydney Busa extended the home team's lead to 17-11 in the set.
• Elon pushed its lead to 21-11 before the Tigers rattled off seven of the next 10 points and made it 24-18 in the set.
• A kill from Terry gave the Phoenix a 25-18 set win and forced the match to a fourth set with the Tigers leading 2-1.
• The fourth set was the closest of the match as the two squads battled through 15 ties and eight lead changes.
• The two sides traded points early as Holehouse's service ace gave the Tigers a 16-15 edge in the set.
• Elon responded by scoring three straight and took an 18-16 advantage in the fourth.
• Back-to-back attack errors by the Phoenix allowed Towson to take a 21-20 lead as Elon called timeout.
• Towson trailed 23-22 following a kill from Courtney Carpenter.
• Ertz responded with a kill and a service ace which gave the Tigers a 24-23 edge in the set.
• An attack error by the Phoenix on the next serve gave Towson a 25-23 set win and victory in the match.

 
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• The Tigers are riding a 15-match win streak currently. The longest win streak in program history is a 16-match streak that the 2001 squad pulled off.
• Towson is one of five undefeated Division I teams in the country (Towson, James Madison, Florida, Miami and Minnesota).
• Towson matched its season-high with seven service aces in the match. Holehouse led the Tigers' efforts with three.
• Towson hit .245 in the contest while Elon posted a .260 hitting percentage. The Phoenix are just the second team this season to hit .200 or better against the Tigers.
• The Tigers improve to 12-4 in CAA openers and 3-2 in conference openers under head coach Don Metil.
• Kuilan had a team-high 15 kills and six digs in the contest while Biver added 12 kills and five digs.
• Sophomore Marrisa Wonders recorded her ninth double-double of the season with 29 assists and 10 digs while junior Peyton Moyles contributed her fifth double-double with 14 assists and 11 digs.
• Holehouse had nine digs, four assists and three service aces.
• Busa led Elon with 22 kills and 13 digs.

 
The Tigers are back in action on Sunday, Sept. 24 as they head to William & Mary for a 1 p.m. match.