TROY – The Jacksonville State volleyball team suffered a pair of tough five-set defeats to Kennesaw State and Troy on the final day of the Troy Classic.
 
Jax State fell to 7-6 following the final non-conference tournament of the season.
 
The day began with JSU racing out to a 2-0 lead over KSU (9-4) with consecutive 25-23 results. But the Owls, who entered as one of JSU's toughest opponents on the schedule following their 2017 NCAA tournament appearance, didn't back down. KSU bounced back to roll for a 25-12 win in the third, before escaping late for a 25-20 victory in the fourth.
 
In the first decisive fifth set of the day, JSU fell behind 9-2 early, but fought all the way back to tie the game at 9-9. Two two sides swapped serves until KSU put the final points on the board to come away with the crushing 15-13 decision.
 
Kaylie Milton had a career-high 13 kills to match Kaylee Frear while Lena Kindermann led offensively with 17. Across the net, Mackenzie Rombach registered a season-best eight blocks and three Gamecocks including Milton (16), Lexie Libs (15) and Jade Humphrey (12) finished with double-digits digs.
 
Immediately following, Jax State was tasked with turning right around and facing an old foe, and tournament host, Troy.
 
Opposite of the KSU match, the Gamecocks started slow still recouping from the setback in the first match. JSU dropped 25-19 and 25-22 set scores to the Trojans to fall behind 2-0 in the match. Looking to flip the script from earlier in the day, JSU rebounded with a 25-20 win in the third, and carried its momentum into the fourth for a 25-13 result to send the contest into the tiebreaker fifth.
 
This time JSU started with a 2-0 advantage, but the Trojans would lead 8-6 at the changeover. The Gamecocks fought back to tie the game at 10-10 and again at 11-11, but never regained the lead as Troy went on to claim a 15-11 victory.
 
Rombach continued her standout day with another seven blocks to go along with 13 kills. Just like in the earlier match, Frear finished with 13 kills again, while Kindermann met her 17 mark once more. Frear was also in on six blocks as the Colorado Springs, Colo., native and Rombach were both named all-tournament following play. Against the Trojans, Humphrey recorded a new career-high with 18 digs.
 
The Gamecocks were short-handed on Saturday with three unavailable to go on the sidelines. Even in defeat, JSU saw positives with from the tight outcomes. The Gamecocks will work to get everyone healthy for next weekend when they open Ohio Valley Conference play in Morehead, Ky., on Friday, Sept. 21.