Box Score
JACKSON, MISS.  – With first place on the line between SWAC East Division rivals, the Alabama State volleyball team rallied back from two sets down before falling at Jackson State 3-2 (18-25, 20-25, 25-22, 25-23, 15-8) in a SWAC showdown Monday at T.B. Ellis Gymnasium.

The two schools, who have combined to win the prior four SWAC Championships with each claiming two apiece to their name, entered the match as the two hottest teams in the conference.

The Lady Hornets (14-13, 3-2 SWAC) had their eight-match winning streak snapped. 

Ironically, it had begun back on Oct. 9 against these same Lady Tigers. 

Jackson State has turned it around since by winning eight of their last nine matches.

In the team's last meeting with one another, Jackson State (9-20, 5-1 SWAC) took a set against ASU on their home floor to even the match at a set apiece before ASU turned up their play in the next two sets to win in four. 

On Monday, ASU came out on the sluggish side and failed to continue long volleys. 

The Lady Hornets quickly fell behind 5-1 in the first set and had to play catch up for the remainder of the set. 

Tiara Kelley had a solid set in trying to keep the Lady Hornets in it, but overall the team was without consistency. 

ASU kept it closer in the second set and fought back to tie it at 15 all when Rachel Smith reacted fast for a dig and Riley MacDonald found Kelley on the right side for a kill.

The Lady Hornets took a 17-15 lead to close out their first big run of the match, but JSU won 10 of the final 13 points to seal the set. 

Alabama State got off to a much better start in the third and took a small lead. 

Lorena Rosario came up with a couple big plays including an ace to give ASU a 15-13 advantage and a dump shot that found some floor space to make it 24-22. 

ASU took the next point and the set. 

In the fourth, Myla Marshall picked up a point on a nice play on the net to tie it at 15 all. 

Then, Briana Dorsey send a ball screaming downward to give ASU a 16-15 lead. 

Smith came up big down the stretch with a couple of big kills.

She would finish with a team-high 15 kills. 

On set point, the Lady Hornets finished off a long volley when Kelley backpedaled to track the ball down. 

MacDonald set it high and Rosario put down the kill for the set, 25-23 to force a decisive fifth set. 

In the fifth, ASU fell behind 7-3 with some hitting miscues and some high energy from JSU. 

Jackson State was able to finish it with a solid block up on the net and a couple kills where ASU didn't cover fast enough. 

Next, ASU will return home for their final home match of the 2015 season when it hosts Alabama A&M for Senior Day at 7 p.m.

The match will be broadcast by the SWAC Digital Network. 

#GOHORNETS#