Towson Volleyball Falls to William & Mary in Four Sets, Splits Weekend Series
By Brian Hradsky | Maryland Sports Blog | October 8, 2026
TOWSON, Md. — The Towson University women’s volleyball team fell to William & Mary 3-1 on Saturday, October 3, at SECU Arena, ending its weekend series against the Tribe with one victory and one defeat. The Tigers opened the match with a strong offensive performance but struggled to maintain that momentum over the final three sets. William & Mary recovered from its opening-set loss to secure a 21-25, 25-19, 25-21, 25-17 victory. The defeat dropped Towson to 9-6 overall and 3-3 in Coastal Athletic Association play.
The result was particularly disappointing considering Towson’s impressive performance in Friday’s meeting between the programs. The Tigers had defeated William & Mary in four sets the previous evening, including a dramatic 31-29 victory in the third set. Saturday’s rematch presented an opportunity for Towson to complete the weekend sweep and improve its conference standing. Instead, the Tribe delivered one of its strongest offensive performances of the season and earned its first victory over Towson since 2013, ending a 21-match losing streak against the Tigers.
Towson Starts Strong Before Offense Cools
Towson appeared ready to continue its winning ways during the opening set, producing an outstanding .450 hitting percentage while recording 21 kills. After the teams battled to a 9-9 tie, the Tigers scored four consecutive points to establish an early advantage. William & Mary responded with five straight points, but Towson answered with another three-point run to regain control. The Tigers maintained their advantage down the stretch and claimed the opening set 25-21.
The second set brought a dramatic change in offensive production for the Tigers. Towson managed just eight kills while committing six attacking errors, resulting in a .059 hitting percentage. Taylor Pagan provided a spark with consecutive service aces that brought the Tigers within one point at 13-12, but William & Mary maintained its composure and gradually extended its advantage. The Tribe eventually secured the set 25-19, evening the match at one set apiece.
Towson needed to regain its offensive rhythm in the third set, but William & Mary continued applying pressure. Pagan opened the frame with a kill before the Tribe responded with three consecutive points and established an advantage it would not surrender. The Tigers improved their hitting percentage to .132, but their 10 kills were not enough to overcome William & Mary’s 17. A late Towson push narrowed the deficit to 24-21 before Katherine Arnason delivered the decisive kill, giving the Tribe a 25-21 victory and a 2-1 match lead.
The fourth set initially offered hope that Towson could force a decisive fifth frame. The Tigers jumped ahead 5-1, prompting William & Mary to call a timeout and regroup. The Tribe responded with five consecutive points to take a 6-5 lead, although Towson continued battling and eventually moved back ahead 11-9. William & Mary then took control with an extended scoring run, building a 17-12 advantage before closing out the match 25-17.
Anna Rice and Addison Leber Lead Towson’s Offense
Despite the defeat, Towson received several notable individual performances, particularly from Anna Rice and Addison Leber. Rice led the Tigers with 15 kills while recording a .325 hitting percentage, the best mark among Towson’s primary attackers. Leber added 13 kills and 10 digs, giving her the first double-double of her season. The two combined for 28 of Towson’s 51 kills and remained important offensive contributors throughout the afternoon.
Kaitlyn Moran also delivered a productive performance, finishing with 33 assists and 13 digs. Her effort marked her sixth double-double of the season and highlighted her importance in directing Towson’s offense. Malinah Purcell-Telefoni contributed eight kills and three blocks, while Kayla Zanon recorded nine digs and two service aces. Although several Tigers produced solid individual numbers, the team struggled to establish consistent offensive production after the opening set.
William & Mary’s Offensive Efficiency Makes the Difference
William & Mary finished with 61 kills and a .326 hitting percentage, compared with Towson’s 51 kills and .199 hitting percentage. The Tribe also held advantages in blocks, assists and digs, demonstrating a more complete performance across the final three sets. Audrey Brcka and Katherine Arnason led William & Mary with 13 kills apiece, while Olivia Westfort contributed another 10. The balanced attack made it difficult for Towson to focus its defensive attention on any single opponent.
Match statistics
| Category | Towson | William & Mary |
|---|---|---|
| Kills | 51 | 61 |
| Hitting percentage | .199 | .326 |
| Assists | 49 | 55 |
| Digs | 58 | 63 |
| Blocks | 6 | 9 |
| Service aces | 6 | 3 |
Source: Towson University official box score.
The biggest difference came from Towson’s inability to sustain its early efficiency. After hitting .450 in the opening set, the Tigers recorded percentages of .059, .132 and .118 over the remaining three frames. William & Mary, meanwhile, hit at least .229 in every set and finished the fourth at .407. Those numbers illustrate how dramatically the offensive balance shifted after Towson’s impressive start.
Tigers Look to Regroup Against Campbell
The loss left Towson with a 3-3 conference record after its first six CAA matches, making consistency an important concern moving forward. The Tigers demonstrated their potential during Friday’s victory and Saturday’s opening set, but their offensive struggles prevented them from completing the sweep. Maintaining stronger hitting percentages and reducing attacking errors will be important as conference competition continues. Towson committed 22 attacking errors Saturday, compared with just 14 for William & Mary.
Towson’s next challenge will come on the road against defending CAA champion Campbell. The Tigers will need contributions from Rice, Leber and Moran while finding additional consistency throughout their lineup. Saturday’s defeat does not erase the positives from Friday’s victory, but it demonstrates how quickly momentum can shift in conference volleyball. A stronger four-set performance will be necessary against another competitive CAA opponent.
MSB Take
Towson’s loss to William & Mary was a missed opportunity to build momentum in conference play, especially after such an impressive opening set. The Tigers showed they could control the match offensively, but their inability to maintain that level exposed a significant inconsistency. Rice, Leber and Moran provided the individual performances necessary to compete, yet the overall attack declined too sharply to secure another victory. Towson has the talent to remain competitive in the CAA, but the Tigers must find a way to deliver more consistent performances from beginning to end.
The weekend split also serves as a reminder that no conference opponent can be overlooked, regardless of its previous record or recent history. William & Mary entered Saturday without a conference victory and had not defeated Towson since 2013, yet the Tribe responded with a confident and efficient performance. For Towson, the focus must now shift toward improving offensive execution and preventing extended scoring runs by opponents. The upcoming matchup with Campbell will provide another opportunity for the Tigers to demonstrate that they can respond to adversity and remain a contender in the CAA.
Sources: Towson University Athletics recap, Official match box score, and William & Mary Athletics recap.
