INSTITUTE, W.Va. – The West Virginia State University volleyball team triumphed over Slippery Rock, 3-2, after coming up short against Shepherd, 3-1, in the second day of the 2019 MEC-PSAC Crossover Tournament on Saturday at the Walker Convocation Center.

Head Coach Kris Kern reflected on his team's performance after the conclusion of the two-day tournament:

"This was a weekend loaded with potential NCAA Tournament teams. We were definitively in every match that we played. It was truly another step in the right direction."

WVSU slides to 2-6 on the season with the win and the loss. SU jumped to 7-0 overall following the victory, while SRU fell to 4-3 this year after the defeat.

Match 1 (West Virginia State vs. Shepherd)

The Yellow Jackets were the better team in the first set, dominating the Rams in a 25-16 rout. The second set was much closer with Shepherd getting the edge over WVSU, 25-20. SU pulled away in the third and fourth sets, winning the third 25-14 and the fourth 25-17 to claim the match.

Sophomore outside hitter Gabrielle Bullock posted a team-high 13 kills, while junior setter Ashton Barr recorded 23 assists in the match. Sophomore middle blocker Gabrielle Thompson led all players on blocks with seven as she consistently does.

"Gabrielle Thompson continues to develop and is a game changer. She gives teams athleticism that is impossible to simulate in practices," stated Kern.

The Rams registered 13 service aces over four sets to circumvent Thompson's blocking prowess.

Match 2 (West Virginia State vs. Slippery Rock)

West Virginia State's second match of the day was a five-set thriller. Slippery Rock took the first set 25-21. The Yellow Jackets then went on a tear, decisively winning the second set 25-18 and the third set 25-13. With the match on the line, the Rock won the fourth set 25-18 to force a fifth set.

WVSU jumped out to an 8-4 advantage in the final set. After switching sides on the court, SRU was able to rally back and tie the game at 10-10. The last eight points scored in the match showed that neither team wanted to concede the match. With the scoreboard showing 14-13 in favor of West Virginia State, Thompson smashed a ball into the hardwood for the match-winning kill.

Jenna Dufresne (16), Gabrielle Thompson (14), and J'Lana Stone (13) each had more kills than Slippery Rock's leader in kills. Bullock showed her defensive side in the match, accounting for 17 digs.

The Yellow Jackets posted a .220 hitting percentage, compared to a .171 hitting percentage registered by the Rock. The statistics showed that the team with the better hitting percentage in each set ended up winning it.

Kern was impressed by some of the individual performances by his players throughout the tournament:

"J'Lana Stone and Makala Cook were solid. Emily Davis didn't play like a freshman and the duo of Dufresne and Bullock did what they do."

The Yellow Jackets will play Central State at home on Tuesday, Sep. 17 next. The match is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.