FLORENCE, Ala. | Jackson State volleyball bounced back in a big way Friday afternoon, closing its two-match day with a dominant straight-set victory over UT Martin after falling to host North Alabama earlier in the day at CB&S Bank Arena at Flowers Hall.
The Tigers finished the day 1-1 and moved to 3-2 on the season, responding to a 3-0 setback against North Alabama with a 25-21, 25-16, 25-21 sweep of UT Martin.
Match One: North Alabama 3, Jackson State 0
Jackson State opened the day against host North Alabama, falling in straight sets, 17-25, 19-25, 11-25. The Tigers finished with 28 kills and 48 digs while North Alabama hit .274 and recorded 41 kills.
Hope Briggs paced the Jackson State offense with eight kills while adding a solo block and a block assist. Sophia McKenzie followed with six kills and six digs, while Parker Featherstone contributed five kills and four digs.
Defensively, Giannelle Asomani led the Tigers with 14 digs. Naija Gadis handed out a team-high 14 assists and collected six digs, while Kayla Troutman added seven assists and five digs.
Jackson State showed its best push in the second set. The Tigers jumped ahead 6-3 and later battled North Alabama to a 13-13 tie before the Lions created separation down the stretch. JSU stayed within two at 20-18 before North Alabama closed out the frame, 25-19.
Match Two: Jackson State 3, UT Martin 0
Jackson State quickly turned the page in the nightcap.
The Tigers swept UT Martin 25-21, 25-16, 25-21, producing 39 kills on a .247 hitting percentage while holding the Skyhawks to just .082. Jackson State also finished with seven service aces and eight total blocks.
Shelby Zanders led a balanced JSU attack with nine kills on 17 attempts, hitting .471 while contributing four block assists. Briggs was equally efficient, putting down eight kills with only one error on 12 swings for a match-best .583 hitting percentage and adding three block assists.
Featherstone and McKenzie each added six kills, while Jayla David recorded five kills and four block assists. Ryleigh Davis chipped in four kills and three block assists.
The Tigers used a two-setter attack to keep the offense moving, with Troutman recording a match-high 19 assists and Gadis adding 17. Troutman also led Jackson State from the service line with three aces. Asomani anchored the back row with a team-high 13 digs and added two aces.
After a back-and-forth opening set that featured 11 ties, Jackson State broke a 19-19 deadlock with a late surge. The Tigers scored six of the final eight points, with Zanders delivering the set-clinching kill for a 25-21 victory.
Jackson State seized control much earlier in the second. With the score tied at 3-3, the Tigers ripped off five consecutive points to take an 8-3 advantage. JSU later stretched its lead to 15-8 and never allowed the Skyhawks back into the set, closing it 25-16.
The Tigers carried that momentum into the third, building a 9-2 advantage behind a strong service run from Troutman. UT Martin cut the margin to one at 12-11, but Jackson State answered and regained control. Back-to-back aces from Asomani helped extend the advantage to 19-13 before David eventually put away the final kill to complete the sweep.
Inside the Numbers
Jackson State's turnaround between matches was evident across the stat sheet. After hitting .051 with 28 kills against North Alabama, the Tigers responded by hitting .247 with 39 kills against UT Martin. JSU also went from zero service aces in the opener to seven in the nightcap.
The Tigers' defense at the net also made an impact against the Skyhawks, with Jackson State totaling 16 block assists and eight team blocks. Zanders and David each recorded four block assists, while Briggs and Davis added three apiece.
Briggs totaled 16 kills across the two matches, including eight in each contest, while Zanders' nine kills against UT Martin were a team high in the victory. Asomani combined for 27 digs on the day, recording 14 against North Alabama and 13 against UT Martin.
Up Next
Jackson State will close out the North Alabama Tournament Saturday afternoon against Chattanooga. First serve is set for 12 p.m.
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