TOWSON, Md. (Sept. 5, 2021)-Morgan State concluded what was a busy weekend of Morgan versus Towson athletic contests with a 3-0 (25-6, 25-14, 25-19) loss against the host Tigers in the finale of the Towson Invitational on Sunday afternoon at SECU Arena.
 
Towson went unbeaten in its four tournament matches to improve to 8-0 on the season, while Morgan State fell to 0-8.
 
Nina Cajic led the Tigers with a match-high 11 kills on 13 attempts to hit for a match-best .846. Morgan Wilson and Sara Wasiakowska each added eight kills. Rachel Hess had a team-leading eight digs and Wilson added seven. Kristin Spengler finished with a match-high 19 assists and Megan Wilson had 15.
 
Morgan State was led by Justyus Jackson's six kills and Jadore Hayes, who had a match-high nine digs. The Lady Bears' Mackenzie Jefferson had a team-leading nine assists and Trinity Carruthers added seven.    
 
Towson scored the first five points in the opening set and held a 6-2 advantage before using a 10-0 run to take a 16-2 lead. Morgan State got a kill from Jourdan Page to end Towson's run. But the hosts outscored Morgan State 9-3 down the stretch to earn the 25-6 win.
 
In the second set, Morgan scored the first two points, but the Tigers countered with six straight to take a 6-2 lead. Back-to-back kills by Makila Billingsley and Jackson along with an attack error on Towson, capped off a 3-0 run and pulled the guests within 9-8. Towson went on a 10-3 spurt to extend its cushion to 19-11. The hosts then put the set away scoring six of the final nine points for the 25-14 victory.
 
Set 3 saw the two teams go back-and-forth trading points early on. After Morgan State took its largest lead at 6-4 on an assisted block by Melanie Battle and Billingsley, the Tigers went on an 8-4 run to take a 12-10 advantage. Morgan State evened the score at 12 all, following a service ace by Jackson. The Tigers would score the next four points to go up 16-12. Morgan State would not go away, pulling within 18-16 after an ace by Page. Towson would create some breathing room by scoring the next three points to take a 21-16 lead and went on to win 25-19.  
 
The Tigers hit .400 for the match, finishing with 42 kills on 82 attempts with 10 attack errors. Morgan State tallied 18 kills on 71 attempts, but had 21 attack errors for an attack percentage of -.042.
 
Both teams accounted for six blocks apiece. Morgan State was led by Battle and Billingsley, who each had four assisted blocks. Towson's Lydia Wiers also finished with four blocks, including two solo blocks.
 
Morgan State returns to action when it travels to Fairfax, Va. to compete in the George Mason Invitational (Sept. 10-11). The Lady Bears will open up against Robert Morris on Friday, Sept. 10 at 4 p.m., before facing the host George Mason Patriots at 7 p.m. MSU will conclude the tournament on Saturday at 1 p.m. against Marist.

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ABOUT MORGAN
Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified doctoral research institution offering more than 100 academic programs leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate. As Maryland's Preeminent Public Urban Research University, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu.