HOUSTON — On a night filled with emotion, celebration, and grit, Texas Southern Volleyball closed out its home slate in dramatic fashion, rallying from a two-set deficit to defeat Southern University 3-2 (23-25, 22-25, 25-19, 25-18, 15-7) on Monday evening at the Health & Physical Education Arena.
The Tigers honored their seniors with a performance that embodied the heart and hustle of HBCU athletics. After dropping the first two sets, TSU flipped the script behind a balanced offensive attack and a raucous home crowd that refused to let the night end in defeat.
Senior Kourtni Collier was a force at the net, finishing with a team-high 15 kills on a blistering .733 hitting percentage. Her biggest moment came at match point, when she delivered a thunderous block to seal the win and ignite a celebration on the court. Lauren Battle finished with 11 kills, 12 digs, and two service aces, putting on a show for the home fans.
Gracie Lee and Ava Houston added 10 and 9 kills, respectively, while Ava Ray orchestrated the offense with 21 assists and 12 digs.
After a slow start, the Tigers found their rhythm in the third set, using a 6-1 run to seize control and never look back. TSU dominated the fourth set at the net, hitting .267 while holding the Jaguars to just .029. In the decisive fifth set, the Tigers roared to an 8-1 lead and never let up, with Battle's final kill sending the crowd into a frenzy.
Defensively, Morelia Lorenzo Diaz anchored the back row with 21 digs, while Gracie Hill and Taryn Stafford combined for seven blocks to stifle Southern's attack.
The win not only capped off Senior Night with a statement, but also gave TSU a surge of momentum heading into the final stretch of the regular season — all on the road.
Next up, the Tigers travel to face Prairie View A&M on Saturday, Nov. 8 at 6 p.m.
