Tigers Down Seahawks in Straight Sets to Start Weekend Series

By Kylie Jones, Deputy Sports Editor and Victoria Rivera, Staff Writer 

Following two victories on the road against Northeastern, the Towson Tigers returned home for a series against UNCW in hopes to extend their 13 game winning-streak. In straight sets, the Tigers shut down the Seahawks, taking the first match of the weekend series.

The first set saw a tightly contested battle between both teams. After both teams took turns exchanging points, freshman Addison Leber would notch two kills to separate the Tigers from the pack. 

Leber, stepping up in place of Pagan, led off a five point run for Towson, bringing the score to 12-7. 

“As a freshman I just want to be as helpful to the team as I can be,” said Leber. “Whatever role that is, whether it’s front row, back row, or whatever it is, I’m just trying to help the team achieve as much success as I can.” 

A short-lived rally brought the Seahawks within two of the Tigers, and both teams would continue to grapple for the lead. 

The Seahawks tied it up at 22, but a kill by Ella Sanders followed by two errors from UNCW brought Towson the 26-24 win in the first set.

The second set featured a strong front from the Seahawks taking an immediate three-point lead. The Tigers showed their stripes, clawing for the lead after exchanging points. 

Towson broke free from the exchange and took off with the lead after multiple kills from across the lineup and an added service ace by Maisie Jesse. 

The fight wasn’t finished for UNCW, adding a number of points of their own, but it was no match for the Tigers. A kill from Peyton Meyer and a service ace from Sydney Stewart propelled Towson’s lead even further. 

A kill by Sanders took the set home for a final score of 25-20, securing a two-set lead for the Tigers. 

“Ella Sanders started off slow, but that kid ended with 13 kills, led both sides, and did it at a 230 clip,” said head coach Don Metil. “We need other players to step up like Ella when we’re so injured.” 

Now, in new jerseys, Malinah Purcell-Telefoni kicked things off in the third set which quickly turned electric for Towson. A series of scoring runs were highlighted by a number of Sarah Callender kills to give Towson a 13-5 lead. 

“The girls changed into the new jerseys, and I think it kind of gave them a special feeling,” said Metil. “Sometimes that five minutes [in between sets] does slow us down, but today it had the reverse effect.”

Sanders contributed two kills of her own during another run from the Tigers. Now 19-8, Towson’s Natalia Pebenito delivered a service ace. An added service ace from Callender allowed the Tigers to sink their teeth in for the final time, taking the match with a dominant 25-11 victory in the third set. 

“We played a little bit sloppy at the beginning,” said Metil. “I think that the third set is what we expected and hopefully we showcase that from the start tomorrow.” 

Leaders for Towson include Sanders with 13 kills, Stewart with 18 digs, and Purcell-Telefoni with 6 blocks. Jesse also notched 16 assists to break the 1000 career assist threshold. 

Towson returns to SECU Arena tomorrow, Oct. 5, at 1 p.m. to round out the series against the Seahawks.