CULLOWHEE, N.C. – The Jacksonville State volleyball team fell to a tough Towson squad, 3-0, in the season-opener Friday afternoon inside the Ramsay Center on the campus of Western Carolina.
 
The opening match of the 2017 season was a learning experience for several of the Gamecocks. Senior setter Jennifer Hart and redshirt-sophomore Kim Krutsinger returned to the floor after each missed most of 2016 with injury. Hart led the team with 17 assists, while Krutsinger had a kill on three attempts and added two blocks.
 
While some upperclassmen were shaking off the rust, a trio of freshmen made their collegiate debuts for the red and white on Friday. Among them, Fullerton, Calif., native Kaylie Milton made her first career start in the opener. Madison Cooler and Dani Steele made their debuts coming off the bench in the second set of the contest. Cooler had a strong showing, finishing tied for a team-best with eight kills and a .316 attack clip.
 
Every player in uniform saw action for the Gamecocks on Friday. Seniors Allyson Zuhlke and Charis Ludtke paced the offense with eight and seven kills, respectively. On defense, senior libero Hannah Kirk recorded 13 digs, while Rachel Perucki had 7 and Maddie Cloutier added five. 
 
JSU started slow falling 25-13 in the opening frame, before making a much tougher battle in the second set. After tying the set at 7-7, the two schools went point-for-point until the Tigers pulled away from a 16-all deadlock with a 9-2 run to seal the win.
 
In the third, JSU fell behind early, but rallied late with a 7-2 run to pull within four, 23-19. The comeback would come up short as Towson took the set and the match with a 25-20 score.
 
For Towson, a team that went 24-9 a season ago, the Colonial Athletic Conference Preseason Player of the Year, Jocelyn Kuilan, led the way with 11 kills.
 
The Gamecocks continue play in the Catamount Classic on Saturday with a 10 a.m. local time (9 CT) match against Charleston Southern before taking on the tournament host, WCU, later in the day.