WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – The Towson University volleyball team faced William & Mary on Saturday afternoon at Kaplan Arena in its second of two Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) matchups vs. the Tribe.
 
Towson (17-2, 8-0 CAA) was challenged by William & Mary (6-11, 1-5 CAA) in the opening set, falling 25-20. The Tigers responded in the next two frames, taking 25-21 and 25-22 respective wins in sets two and three. The Tribe fended off the Tigers in the fourth set for a 25-21 win to send the match to a fifth. Down 4-3, the Tigers ripped off nine unanswered points to take an eight-point lead and went on to win the final set 15-6.
 
Records:

• Towson – 17-2, 8-0 CAA
• William & Mary – 6-11, 1-5 CAA

 
Key Stats

• William & Mary outhit Towson .185 to .176 in the match. Despite that, the Tigers held a pivotal .364 to -.043 hitting percentage advantage in the final set.
• The Tigers finished with 66 kills to the Tribe's 48.
• The Black & Gold totaled 75 digs to William & Mary's 51.

 
How it Happened

• Towson opened the match with an early 7-2 lead before surrendering four-straight points to William & Mary, allowing the Tribe to get within one.
• Down 9-7, the Tribe scored three unanswered points to take a 10-9 lead.
• The Tigers held a 15-13 lead when the teams traded three-point runs, taking the score to 18-16.
• The Tribe scored nine of the final 11 points in the set to take the 25-20 win.
• The second set was tightly contested in the first half, with the Tribe holding a 13-12 lead.
• Moments later, the Tigers ripped off six-straight points to reclaim the lead at 18-13.
• The Tribe did not waiver, closing the set on an 8-7 run, but the Tigers prevailed in the set 25-21.
• Towson opened the third set with runs of seven and four points, claiming an 11-4 lead early in the set.
• Moments later down 12-5, The Tribe scored eight of the next nine points to tie the third set at 13-13.
• A few points later, William & Mary strung together five of six points in a run to take a 19-16 lead.
• The Tigers followed that with a 7-1 run to reclaim the lead at 23-20.
• After two Tribe points, Towson closed the frame 25-22.
• Towson began the fourth set with a modest 3-2 lead before William & Mary had two three-point and one four-point run to take a 12-7 lead in the set.
• Down 18-13, the Tigers scored three unanswered to pull within two points in the fourth set.
• The Tribe answered with wins on four of the next five points, extending their lead to 22-17.
• William & Mary fended off the TU attack over the final points of the set to win 25-21.
• The Tribe opened the final set with a 4-3 lead before Towson scored nine unanswered points to take a decisive nine-point edge.
• Ella Sanders and Sarah Callender each recorded a kill over the Tigers' final three points to take the fifth set 15-6.

 
Inside the Numbers

• Five Tigers posted double-digit kills in the match: Sanders (15), Malinah Purcell-Telefoni (14), Addison Leber (12), Erin Brothers (11) and Callender (10).
• Callender posted her second-consecutive and sixth double-double of the season. She finished with 10 kills and 21 digs.
• Leber posted 12 kills in Saturday's match, her second-consecutive match with double-digit kills. She has four such matches this season.

 
Up Next
The Tigers are set to host Elon in CAA play next Friday and Saturday at SECU Arena. The matches are set for 6 p.m. and 2 p.m., respectively.