KENNESAW, GA  – The Alabama State volleyball team got off to a sluggish start to open its season with a straight sets loss to host Kennesaw State (25-20, 25-12, 25-14) Friday night in the Kennesaw State Invitational.

The Lady Hornets struggled to find consistency from the onset, facing a formidable front line of attackers from the Atlantic Sun Conference representatives. 

The best opportunity ASU had to take a set came in the first when sophomores Briana Dorsey and Brittany Brown strung together back-to-back kills on assists from freshman Kori Kutsch to get within 23-20. 

But, the Owls were able to close out the set with a kill by Sydni Shelton and an attack error by ASU. 

ASU had just 19 total kills against 24 errors for a negative team hitting percentage in the match. 

"I'm very disappointed in our performance tonight," said ASU volleyball head coach Penny Lucas-White.

"However, we can only go up from here.  We haven't hit and played this bad since this crop of seniors were freshmen. We can only get better.  We'll figure it out.  We just have to have a little patience right now.  We'll be OK.  But I didn't expect us to perform so badly."

Four Lady Hornets saw action in their career debuts as freshmen. 

Riley MacDonald led the team in assists with nine and digs with five.  Kutsch added eight assists and three digs. 

Kimeko Bennett led the team with four kills and Kayla Torres had one dig. 

The Lady Hornets will continue play in the tournament with two matches scheduled for Saturday.

First up, ASU will take on Jacksonville State at 10 a.m. / 9 central followed by a match with Savannah State at 5 p.m. / 4 central. 

Jacksonville State went 18-16 overall in 2014 including 9-7 in the Ohio Valley Conference. 

In last season's meetings between the teams, ASU lost a five-setter to the Gamecocks in September before losing in three sets at Jacksonville in October. 

Savannah State went 5-27 overall including 0-10 in the MEAC. 

ASU topped the Tigers in straight sets in their lone meeting last September. 

To follow live stats of those matches, click here:

Vs. Jacksonville State http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=97540

Vs. Savannah State http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=97541

                                                                                                        #GOHORNETS#