AUBURN, Ala.—McNeese volleyball came away empty handed here Friday to open its season 0-2 after falling 3-0 (28-26, 25-22, 27-25) in a tightly contested match Friday morning.
 
McNeese then dropped a five-set match to Jacksonville State (25-21, 24-26, 22-25, 25-16, 15-8) in a match that looked like the Cowgirls were in command after taking an overall 2-1 lead.
 
The Cowgirls will face host Auburn at 10 a.m. Sunday morning to close out tournament play.
 
With 10 newcomers including six freshmen, just about every Cowgirl saw action Friday.

"We came out a little flat this morning," said second year head coach Sasha Karelov.  "It took us two sets to start playing free adn be the aggressor.  Honestly, I was impressed with how our passers, Bailey Tillman and Kendall Osgood, stayed steady throughout the match."
 
Junior Carissa Chainey took advantage of her McNeese debut by leading the Cowgirls with 25 kills on the day including opening the season with a double double (12 kills, 13 digs) against Coppin State.  Chainey closed out the day with 13 against Jacksonville State.
 
Junior McKenzie Moore made her presence known at the net by leading the way with 11 blocks including eight block assists.  Moore also contributed on offense with 19 kills.
 
Junior libero Bailey Tillman picked up where she left off last season and ended Friday with a total of 51 digs including 15 against Coppin State and 16 against Jacksonville State.
 
Freshman Megan Grose handled most of the setting and dished out 67 assists on the day with 29 against Coppin State and 38 against Jacksonville State.   

"In the afternoon, again it took us a little bit to get going. We finally started playing disciplined defense but couldn't sustain it.  The positive is Carissa Chainey and McKenzie Moore took some big swings at crucial moments, which should give them a lot of confidence going into tomorrow's match. Playing quality opponents can expose you early but I'm looking forward to making some adjustments tomorrow."
 
 
HOW IT HAPPENED VS. COPPIN STATE
Set 1
• Newcomers Megan Grose, Carissa Chainey and Isabella Ceja saw their first start as Cowgirls
• Set consisted of 19 ties
• Cowgirls led by as many as three points early in the set
 
Set 2
• Cowgirls open the set by taking an 8-3 lead
• Coppin State then outscored the Cowgirls 10-1 to take a 13-9 lead
• A 7-3 Cowgirl scoring run tied the set at 16 apiece
• Cowgirls retook the lead (20-19) on a CSU attack error
• With the set tied at 21 apiece, CSU ended the set on a 4-1 run to win the set 25-22 and a 2-0 match lead
 
Set 3
• CSU led for most of the set and with McNeese trailing 18-15, the Cowgirls outscored CSU 6-2 to take a 21-20 lead
• McNeese led 24-22 at set point but following a CSU timeout, the Eagles scored the next two points to even the score (24-24).
• An attack error by CSU put McNeese up 25-24 but the Cowgirls couldn't close out the set as CSU scored the next three points to take the set 27-25.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
• In her first match as a Cowgirl, junior transfer Carissa Chainey recorded her first double double with 12 kills and 13 digs
• Junior Bailey Tillman led the Cowgirls with 15 digs
• Junior McKenzie Moore led with four blocks
• Freshman Megan Grose dished out 29 assists
• Sophomore Sanni Rantanen led all players with four service aces
 
 
HOW IT HAPPENED VS. JACKSONVILLE STATE
Set 1
• Jacksonville State opened the match by scoring the first four points before extending the lead to 6-1
• McNeese got within three points (10-7) on a kill by Kayla Wilson
• The Cowgirls got as close as three points (20-17) and then again 24-21 before Jax State claimed the first set win
 
Set 2
• Facing a 24-21 deficit, McNeese reeled off five straight points in come from behind fashion to win the second set 26-24 to even the match at one set apiece.
 
Set 3
• After an early tie, McNeese took a 5-4 lead and never looked back, holding as much as a 10-point lead (20-10) following a Megan Grose ace.
• Jacksonville State made a late run to get to within two points (24-22) but a block solo by McKenzie Moore was the set winning point to give the Cowgirls the 2-1 lead.
 
Set 4
• Jacksonville State took the early lead and never looked back on its way to the 25-16 set win to even the match at two sets apiece
 
Set 5
• With the set tied a four apiece, Jacksonville State took command of the set with two kills and two Cowgirl errors to lead 8-4
• McNeese got as close as three points (9-6) but a 6-2 run to end the set lifted Jacksonville State to a 15-8 fifth and final set win to claim the match.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
• McKinzie Moore led the Cowgirls in kills (14) and blocks (7)
• Also collecting double figure kills was Carissa Chainey with 13
• For the second straight match, Bailey Tillman picked up double figure digs with a team high 16
• Nejra Hanic chipped in with 12 digs
• Setter Megan Grose dished out 38 assists, the second match of her career with double figure assists