JACKSON, Miss. | Hope Briggs powered Jackson State with 17 kills and a .519 hitting percentage, but the Tigers dropped a four-set matchup to Alabama State on Sunday at the Lee E. Williams Athletics and Assembly Center.
Jackson State (13-14, 9-5 SWAC) opened with a 25-21 victory before Alabama State claimed the next three sets, 25-22, 25-16 and 25-20.
Briggs committed just three errors on 27 attempts to lead a Jackson State offense that finished with 56 kills and a .303 hitting percentage. Kyra Dove delivered 12 kills on 18 swings, hitting a team-best .556 with two block assists. Jada Constanza added 12 kills, a .357 hitting percentage and two service aces.
Naija Gadis and Ryleigh Davis distributed 25 assists apiece. Gadis added seven digs, while Davis contributed five kills, three aces, four digs and two block assists. Giannelle Asomani anchored the back row with a team-high 16 digs.
The Tigers established control early in the opening set, scoring the first four points and building a 20-14 advantage. Jackson State recorded 18 kills and hit .378 in the frame, with Briggs putting away the final point to secure the early match lead.
Jackson State showed its resolve in the second set, battling back from a 14-6 deficit to pull within 23-22 on a Briggs kill. Alabama State scored the next two points to even the match.
Despite hitting .385 with only two attack errors in the third set, the Tigers could not keep pace with Alabama State's .500 attack as the visitors took a 2-1 lead.
Jackson State mounted another rally in the fourth, erasing a 16-11 deficit to tie the set at 17. The teams were even again at 18 before Alabama State pulled away to close the match.
Inside the Numbers
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Briggs, Dove and Constanza combined for 41 of Jackson State's 56 kills.
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Dove and Briggs each hit above .500, combining for 29 kills and just five attack errors.
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Gadis and Davis accounted for 50 of the Tigers' 54 assists.
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Jackson State totaled 47 digs, led by Asomani's 16.
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Davis recorded three of the Tigers' six service aces, followed by Constanza with two and Parker Featherstone with one.
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Alabama State finished with 64 kills, a .368 hitting percentage and 12 service aces.
Up Next
The Tigers will open their Florida swing at Bethune-Cookman Friday evening and close out the regular season at Florida A&M on Sunday afternoon.
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