Towson Volleyball Sweeps Howard to Close Tiger Invitational on High Note
The Towson University women’s volleyball team finished the Tiger Invitational with one of its strongest offensive performances of the young season, sweeping Howard University 3-0 Sunday afternoon at SECU Arena. The Tigers took the three sets 25-18, 25-14 and 25-16 to improve to 6-3 overall.
Towson controlled nearly every statistical category in the victory. The Tigers finished with 43 kills compared with 28 for Howard while hitting an impressive .379 as a team. Howard managed only a .128 hitting percentage as Towson combined an efficient attack with strong serving and defense.
The .379 hitting percentage was Towson’s second-highest mark of the season. The Tigers also finished with advantages of 10-3 in service aces, 7-3 in blocks, 41-27 in assists and 42-32 in digs.
Tigers Take Control Late in First Set
Howard provided its strongest challenge during the opening portion of the first set. The Bison built a 14-12 advantage before Towson completely changed the direction of the match.
The Tigers responded by scoring 10 of the next 11 points, turning the two-point deficit into a commanding advantage. Towson eventually closed out the opening set 25-18 and finished the frame with 13 kills against only three attacking errors.
Towson hit .435 during the opening set while Howard hit .182. The turnaround after Howard took the 14-12 lead proved important because Towson never allowed the Bison to seriously threaten again.
Towson Offense Rolls in Second Set
Towson became even more dominant during the second set. The Tigers produced 15 kills against only three errors on 28 attacks, good for a .429 hitting percentage.
Howard, meanwhile, managed only eight kills in the frame. The Bison hit .143 as Towson’s defense and blocking presence made it difficult for Howard to establish a consistent attack.
Towson cruised to a 25-14 victory and entered the break holding a commanding 2-0 advantage.
The Tigers’ efficiency was particularly encouraging. Towson did not simply capitalize on Howard mistakes; it consistently generated its own offense while limiting attacking errors.
Tigers Finish the Sweep
Towson maintained control in the third set and finished Howard off with a 25-16 victory.
The Tigers recorded another 15 kills in the final frame and hit .306. Howard produced eight kills but committed six attacking errors on 33 attempts, leaving the Bison with only a .061 hitting percentage.
That defensive performance helped Towson prevent Howard from building any sustained momentum. After Howard stayed competitive early in the match, Towson progressively tightened its grip and ultimately completed the sweep without dropping a set.
Pagan and Rice Lead Towson Attack
Taylor Pagan continued her strong weekend by leading all players with 11 kills. It marked her second consecutive match with double-digit kills after she erupted for 16 kills while hitting .500 in Towson’s straight-set victory over Robert Morris one day earlier.
Anna Rice was right behind Pagan with 10 kills. Rice has now reached double figures in kills in eight of her first nine matches of the season, providing Towson with another consistent attacking option.
Malinah Purcell-Telefoni contributed throughout the lineup. She recorded five kills and two blocks while doing significant damage from the service line, delivering a match-high four aces. That left her one shy of the career-high five aces she recorded against Elon in October 2025.
Towson also received an excellent defensive performance from Tshilanda Diouf, who recorded five blocks. Ava Drye added three blocks as the Tigers finished with seven total blocks.
Moran Directs the Offense
Setter Kaitlyn Moran helped keep Towson’s attack operating efficiently with a match-high 24 assists. Peyton Meyer added 13 assists, giving the Tigers multiple options for distributing the ball.
Moran also contributed three service aces, while Destini Pickett added two. Towson’s 10 total aces became another major difference in the match.
Evi Priniotaki led the Tigers with eight digs. Megan Platt and Kayla Zanon each finished with seven as Towson prevented Howard from extending rallies and generating second opportunities.
Moran and Pagan were ultimately named to the Tiger Invitational All-Tournament Team for their performances throughout the weekend.
Towson Finishes Invitational 2-1
Towson’s victory completed a productive turnaround after the Tigers opened the tournament with a straight-set loss against Arkansas.
The Tigers fell 26-24 in a competitive opening set against the Razorbacks before Arkansas ultimately completed the sweep. The match also produced a Towson volleyball attendance record of 1,161 fans at SECU Arena.
Towson responded the following afternoon by sweeping Robert Morris 25-17, 25-22 and 25-15. The Tigers hit .324 in that victory, produced 44 kills and held a 9-2 advantage in blocks.
Sunday’s performance against Howard was even more efficient offensively. Towson’s .379 hitting percentage represented a significant improvement from Saturday’s already strong .324 mark.
The Tigers therefore finished their home tournament 2-1, with consecutive straight-set victories over Robert Morris and Howard after the opening loss to Arkansas.
Towson Enters CAA Play at 6-3
The victory moved Towson to 6-3 as the Tigers prepare to transition from nonconference tournament play into the Coastal Athletic Association portion of their schedule.
There have already been several encouraging signs through nine matches. Pagan has emerged as an important offensive weapon, while Rice has provided remarkable consistency with eight double-digit kill performances. Purcell-Telefoni remains a factor at the net and from the service line, and Moran continues to run the offense.
Towson was picked third in the CAA preseason poll after receiving two first-place votes. Purcell-Telefoni earned preseason All-CAA honors, while Pagan was named an honorable mention selection.
Head coach Don Metil also has a roster that combines an experienced returning core with several important newcomers. Rice transferred from TCU, while the Tigers also brought in Bjanka Stojanovic from Georgia Tech, Lilia Duczek from Hofstra and Megan Platt from Wheeling.
Towson will now remain at SECU Arena to begin CAA competition with consecutive matches against Northeastern on Friday and Saturday.
MSB Take
Towson could not have asked for a much better response after losing its first match of the Tiger Invitational. Instead of allowing the Arkansas loss to linger, the Tigers came back and swept Robert Morris before producing an even more impressive offensive performance against Howard.
The biggest takeaway was Towson’s efficiency. Hitting .379 while committing only 10 attacking errors across three sets is the type of offensive performance that can make the Tigers extremely difficult to handle once conference play begins. Towson also showed balance with Pagan and Rice leading the attack, Moran distributing the ball and Purcell-Telefoni affecting the match from several different areas.
At 6-3, Towson has positioned itself well heading into CAA play. The Tigers will face tougher tests as the conference schedule progresses, but consecutive sweeps and increasingly efficient offensive performances provide plenty of momentum heading into the Northeastern series.
