Towson Volleyball Falls to Campbell in Four Sets Despite Competitive Battle
By Brian Hradsky
Maryland Sports Blog | October 14, 2026
The Towson University women’s volleyball team suffered a frustrating 3-1 defeat against Campbell University on Friday, October 9, at Gore Arena in Buies Creek, North Carolina. The Tigers battled through three competitive sets, including a thrilling third-set victory, but struggled to maintain their offensive consistency in the fourth. Campbell secured the Coastal Athletic Association victory by scores of 25-22, 25-23, 24-26 and 25-16. The loss dropped Towson to 9-7 overall and 3-4 in conference play, while Campbell improved to 6-10 overall and 2-3 in the CAA.
Towson Falls Behind in Two Close Sets
Campbell opened the match with a strong offensive performance, establishing an early 6-1 advantage in the first set. Towson responded and gradually worked its way back into contention, but the Camels consistently found ways to regain control during important rallies. Despite the Tigers’ efforts to close the gap, Campbell captured the opening set 25-22 behind an efficient offensive attack. The Camels recorded 14 kills and a .229 hitting percentage in the frame, compared with 11 kills and a .184 percentage for Towson.
The second set followed a similar pattern, with both teams exchanging points and competing throughout the frame. Towson improved offensively, recording 14 kills and a .205 hitting percentage, but Campbell remained slightly more efficient at .234. The Camels used scoring runs of three, four and five consecutive points to build momentum and prevent the Tigers from taking control. Campbell eventually secured a 25-23 victory, giving the home team a commanding 2-0 advantage heading into the third set.
Tigers Fight Back in Third Set
Facing elimination, Towson delivered its strongest offensive response of the evening during the third set. The Tigers recorded 15 kills and a .180 hitting percentage while battling Campbell through several extended rallies. Although the Camels finished the frame with 17 kills, Towson capitalized on opportunities and maintained its composure during the closing points. The Tigers edged Campbell 26-24 to extend the match and create an opportunity for a comeback.
The third-set victory demonstrated Towson’s ability to compete with Campbell despite the difficult opening two frames. The Tigers continued finding scoring opportunities through their offensive rotation and received contributions from several players. Campbell committed eight attacking errors during the third set, allowing Towson to remain competitive in crucial situations. The victory briefly shifted momentum toward the Tigers, who entered the fourth set needing another strong performance to force a decisive fifth frame.
Fourth-Set Errors End Towson’s Comeback
Towson’s comeback attempt unraveled during the fourth set as offensive mistakes became increasingly costly. Although the Tigers recorded 11 kills compared with Campbell’s eight, Towson committed 12 attacking errors during the frame. Those mistakes resulted in a negative .026 hitting percentage and prevented the Tigers from building sustained offensive momentum. Campbell capitalized on the errors to secure a 25-16 victory and close out the match in four sets.
The final set highlighted one of Towson’s biggest challenges throughout the evening: maintaining consistency when rallies became increasingly important. Campbell needed only eight kills to win the fourth frame because Towson repeatedly surrendered points through attacking mistakes. The Tigers had demonstrated their ability to compete during the first three sets, but their execution deteriorated when they needed another comeback. The disappointing finish overshadowed an otherwise competitive performance against a conference opponent.
Leber and Purcell-Telefoni Lead Towson Offense
Addison Leber and Malinah Purcell-Telefoni led Towson offensively with 12 kills apiece, while Anna Rice added 10 kills. Leber also contributed 11 digs, recording a double-double while helping the Tigers remain competitive throughout the contest. Purcell-Telefoni made an important defensive contribution with five blocks, the highest total for Towson. Rice added three blocks, giving the Tigers additional support near the net.
Kaitlyn Moran directed Towson’s offense with 33 assists, while Peyton Meyer contributed another 13. Kayla Zanon led the Tigers defensively with 17 digs, followed by Taylor Pagan with 12 and Leber with 11. Pagan also recorded two service aces, helping Towson finish with six as a team. Despite those individual contributions, the Tigers could not generate enough consistent offensive production to overcome Campbell’s defensive pressure.
Campbell received an outstanding performance from Leah Freesemann, who finished with a match-high 16 kills and a .324 hitting percentage. Victoria Tupy contributed 11 kills and 13 digs, providing another important offensive weapon for the Camels. Aubree Fernandez anchored Campbell’s defense with 27 digs, while Hannah Pattie recorded 23 assists and 13 digs. The Camels received contributions throughout their lineup, allowing them to maintain an advantage during the match’s most important moments.
Offensive Efficiency Makes the Difference
The final statistics illustrated how closely the teams competed in several areas despite Campbell’s 3-1 victory. Towson finished with 51 kills compared with Campbell’s 55, while both teams recorded six service aces. Campbell held an 81-76 advantage in digs and an 11-9 edge in team blocks. However, the biggest difference came in offensive efficiency, where Campbell finished with a .199 hitting percentage compared with Towson’s .140.
Towson committed 27 attacking errors on 171 attempts, while Campbell recorded 22 errors on 166 attempts. The Tigers also struggled with mistakes at critical moments, particularly during the fourth set when their attacking errors exceeded their kills. Those problems prevented Towson from capitalizing on its opportunities despite remaining competitive for much of the evening. Improving offensive discipline will be essential as the Tigers continue navigating their conference schedule.
Tigers Respond in Saturday Rematch
Towson returned to Gore Arena on Saturday, October 10, and responded with a 3-1 victory over Campbell to split the weekend series. The Tigers dramatically improved their offensive efficiency, recording a .319 hitting percentage compared with Friday’s .140 performance. Towson also reduced its attacking errors from 27 to 12 while increasing its kill total from 51 to 55. The improvement demonstrated the team’s ability to make adjustments and recover from a disappointing conference defeat.
The Saturday victory improved Towson’s record to 10-7 overall and 4-4 in conference play. Splitting the road series prevented the Tigers from falling further below .500 in CAA competition and provided an important confidence boost. The turnaround also reinforced the importance of limiting unforced errors and maintaining offensive consistency. Towson will need to build on those improvements as the conference schedule continues.
MSB Take
Towson’s Friday loss to Campbell was frustrating because the Tigers had several opportunities to take control of the match but repeatedly struggled with execution. Losing the opening two sets by three and two points demonstrated how narrow the margin was between the teams. The Tigers showed determination by winning the third set, but committing 12 attacking errors in the fourth made completing the comeback nearly impossible. Towson has enough offensive talent to compete in the CAA, but the team must improve its consistency against conference opponents.
The encouraging development came Saturday when Towson immediately corrected many of the mistakes that contributed to Friday’s defeat. Improving from a .140 hitting percentage to .319 in less than 24 hours demonstrated the potential of this offense when the Tigers execute effectively. Leber, Purcell-Telefoni and Rice provide Towson with capable offensive contributors, while Moran and Zanon help stabilize the team’s passing and defensive efforts. If Towson can consistently reproduce Saturday’s efficiency, the Tigers should have an opportunity to improve their position in the CAA standings.
