BATON ROUGE, La. – The Jackson State Volleyball opened Southwestern Athletic Conference competition with a pair of convincing wins over Grambling and Texas Southern Friday at the 2018 SWAC West Volleyball Roundup.

In the afternoon session, JSU dispatched GU 14-25, 25-22, 25-17, 25-16.

Marina Bianchi-Brito led the way with a match-high 13 kills to go with a blistering .571 hitting percentage. Kanile'a Nomura added 10 kills to go with a .421 hitting percentage.

Sapphire Simpson recorded a match-high 23 assists to go with six digs.

Priscilla Sanchez added 18 assists and four digs.

Tielar Richards helped with eight kills and Camry Dabney added six kills.

Markayshia Masani added a match-high 16 digs.

As a team, JSU recorded a .263 hitting percentage, including an impressive .423 in the third set.

In the evening session, JSU defeated Texas Southern 25-19, 25-23, 21-25, 25-22.

Richards recorded a match-high 11 kills to go with a .385 hitting percentage.

Bianchi-Brito, Dabney and Alexandra Burney each added seven kills. Burney also helped with 17 digs.

As a team, JSU added 14 blocks. Bianchi-Brito, Dabney, and Richards each added three blocks.

JSU returns to action Saturday with a pair of matches. The Tigers meet Arkansas Pine-Bluff at 3 p.m. and Southern at 7 p.m.