JACKSON, Miss. – The Southern University volleyball team's hot streak came to a close Monday evening, as the Jaguars dropped a hard-fought 3-1 decision (18-25, 25-15, 25-23, 25-15) to Jackson State inside the Lee E. Williams Athletics and Assembly Center.
 
The loss snaps a five-match winning streak for Southern (11-13, 6-4), which had been playing its most confident volleyball of the season entering the contest. Taguars opened the match in impressive fashion, taking the first set with precision and energy before the Lady Tigers (10-11, 9-2) adjusted and seized control in the following frames.
 
Southern came out sharp in the opening set, dominating both at the net and from the service line. Ariana Brown led the charge with a near-flawless offensive performance, tallying six kills in the first frame en route to a team-high 20 kills on a .455 hitting percentage while adding five service aces on the night.
 
The Jaguars hit .318 as a team in the set and never trailed after the midway point, closing it out 25-18 behind timely kills from Brown and Bailee St. Romain, plus strong defensive positioning from libero Najah Harris.
 
However, Jackson State flipped the momentum in the second set. The Lady Tigers used aggressive serving and efficient transition play to force Southern into errors. JSU's Jayden James sparked her team with seven kills and steady passing, while the Jaguars struggled to find rhythm offensively, hitting just -.080 in the frame. The Tigers took advantage, cruising to a 25-15 win to even the match.
 
Set three proved to be the turning point. Southern regrouped and came out determined, trading points with Jackson State in a back-and-forth battle that featured seven ties and four lead changes. Brown continued to deliver from the outside, while Sophie Diouf and Mariah Mott added valuable contributions at the net.
 
Jordan Felix, who orchestrated the offense with 34 assists on the night, kept the Jaguars balanced, distributing the ball effectively across the front line. Despite the effort, a late service run by JSU gave the Lady Tigers the narrow 25-23 edge and a 2-1 match lead.
 
The fourth set mirrored the third early on before Jackson State again surged ahead. The Tigers hit a blistering .409 in the frame, while their defense at the net limited Southern's attacking lanes. The Jaguars couldn't overcome the Lady Tigers' momentum as JSU sealed the set 25-15 to clinch the match.
 
UP NEXT
Southern will take its final road trip of the season with a trip to Texas starting on November 2. The Jaguars will take on Prairie View A&M on November 2 with first serve set for 2 p.m. CT. They will then travel to Texas Southern for a 6 p.m. first serve on November 3.

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