Panthers road trip in Arkansas ends in straight-set loss to UALR

The second matchup for Georgia State volleyball during their weekend road trip through Arkansas ended as the Panthers fell in straight sets to the University of Arkansas-Little Rock (UALR) Trojans.

The defeat brings Georgia State’s overall record to 4-14 and 2-7 in Sun Belt play.

Set 1

After dropping the first point, the Panthers gained three consecutive points. Georgia State would take leads of 7-4 and 9-6 before UALR evened the score at 9 apiece.

With the score tied again at 11, five straight points from the Trojans, set up by assists from sophomore setter Megan Mathis gave their team an advantage of 16-11, leading to a Panthers timeout.

The lead for the Trojans would expand to 21-14. Georgia State trimmed their deficit to five at 23-18 with a kill from Eliza Zachary, before a kill from senior outside hitter Edina Begic, along with a Zachary attack error sealed the first set for UALR, 25-18.

Zachary had five kills along with a .429 hitting percentage to lead the Panthers.

Set 2

A pair of kills from Mathis led UALR as they jumped to a 5-2 lead to begin the second frame.

Georgia State was able to close to within 8-6, including two kills from Kitan Ajanaku. Two more kills and a Panthers attack error led to an 11-7 advantage for the Trojans, prompting another Georgia State timeout.

Panthers head coach Sally Polhamus would call time again as the UALR lead grew to 16-10.

A pair of attack errors from Georgia State and another Begic kill grew their lead to 19-11. With the lead for the Trojans at 21-13, the Panthers were aided by a couple of errors on the UALR side to close within 22-16. The Trojans won the second set 25-17 with two kills and a Georgia State service error.

Zachary ended the second set with seven kills. Ajanaku had six with a .455 hitting percentage.

Set 3

The Trojans assumed an early 6-2 lead to start the third set. Huge plays from Ajanaku, Natalia Nieto, and Kristina Stinson led the Panthers to score eight of the set’s next nine points contributing to a 10-7 lead. This led to a timeout from UALR.

Led by a pair of kills from Edina Selimovic, the Trojans tied the third set at 12 apiece. One more Selimovic kill and two Georgia State errors allowed UALR to go ahead 15-12, leading to a timeout from the Panthers.

Morgan Patterson came up with a kill to bring Georgia State within 15-13, but a 4-0 run from the Trojans that included two Stinson attack errors expanded their lead to 19-13.

An attack error from Milanovic brought the Panthers within five at 19-14, but three more Georgia State errors broadened the UALR lead to 22-14.

Ajanaku came up with a kill to make the score 22-15 before the Trojans scored the match’s final three points to take the set, 25-15, along with the match.

Instrumental in the Trojans’ victory was their team having a hitting percentage of .408 compared to Georgia State’s .133 percentage.

The Panthers also had 20 attack errors to only seven for UALR.

Begic led the Trojans with a .440 hitting percentage and 12 kills. Ajanaku led the way for Georgia State with 11 kills and a .526 hitting percentage.

Deidra Bohannon did not play on Sunday’s game for the Panthers.

The Panthers will return home on Friday as they face Texas State at 6 p.m. from the Sports Arena.