JACKSON, Miss.- Junior Amber Fryer led the McNeese volleyball team with a career-high 26 kills in a 3-2 (26-24, 25-15, 19-25, 22-25, 12-15) loss to Jackson State Tuesday night.

The loss is the fifth straight for the Cowgirls who fell to 9-8 on the season.  McNeese will return to Southland Conference action Thursday to host Lamar in a 7 p.m. match.  The Cowgirls will remain home on the weekend to host Sam Houston State at 2 p.m. Saturday.

Senior Rachel Cagnina contributed with 16 kills, 10 digs, and eight blocks while Adison Giambrone tied her career high with a match-high 21 digs. Setter Kelly Graham led all players with 47 assists.

McNeese jumped out to a 2-0 overall set lead after taking the first set 26-24 and set two 25-15 but the Cowgirls couldn't put the Tigers away.  JSU took the third set 25-19 and the fourth with a 25-22 score to even the match up at two sets apiece.

The Cowgirls trailed early in the fourth set but took a 16-12 lead.  JSU outscored McNeese 5-1 to even the set at 17 all then took the lead for good (18-17) on a Cowgirl error.  JSU held on for the fourth set win, sending the match into a fifth and deciding set.

McNeese trailed from the opening serve in the fifth set as JSU took a 2-0 lead and then extended the lead to 12-8.  McNeese cut the lead to 12-10 on back-to-back Fryer kills. A Cowgirl service error gave the Tigers a 13-10 lead but two straight points by McNeese off a JSU error and another Fryer kill cut the lead to 13-12.  JSU scored the next two points on kills by Mikayla Rollie and Jasmine Knight win the third set 15-12 and the overall match.