Match 1—Loss to Appalachian State, 3-0
The opening match for Georgia State in Boone was also its first this season in Sun Belt play. The Mountaineers jumped out to early leads of 4-1, 8-4, and 10-5. They were fueled by three kills from Jess Keller. Appalachian State’s lead ballooned to 21-11 as Eliza Zachary had three kills at this point for the Panthers. The Mountaineers would win the first set 25-13.
Georgia State scored the initial point of the second set, but would trail the Mountaineers 10-5. The Panthers would pull to within three at 10-7, but Appalachian State would extend their advantage with leads of 14-9 and 20-13. It became close as Georgia State cut their deficit to 23-20, but took a 2-0 lead in the match with a 25-21 victory.
Set number three would see several ties at first. Appalachian State would go in front by three at 10-7 as they found kills from Lauren Gray and Emily Corrigan. This prompted a timeout from head coach Sally Polhamus. Georgia State would hang tough throughout this set as kills from Deidra Bohannon kept them close at 18-17. A service ace from Bohannon and error from the Mountaineers would give Panthers a brief lead of 20-19. With the score all square at 23, kills from Keller and Gray sealed the set and match for Appalachian State.
Corrigan, Gray, and Keller were the three players who finished the match with double-digit kill totals. Paige Brown also had 45 assists. For Georgia State, Bohannon and Zachary each had 10 kills apiece. Natalia Nieto finished with 29 assists.
Match 2—Loss to Maryland, 3-0
The first meeting between these two schools would commence with a 6-3 lead for Maryland. The Panthers would tie it up at 9-9 as several players, including Bohannon, Zachary, and Andrea Book. The Terrapins would later go in front 17-14 and would win the set 25-19. Bohannon finished the opening set with six kills while Ashleigh Crutcher had four for Maryland.
Maryland would jump out to an early 8-4 lead to start the second set. Polhamus called a timeout after a 14-10 lead for the Terrapins. Maryland coach Steve Aird did the same after the Panthers trimmed their deficit to 18-15. A service ace from Molly Shonk brought the Panthers within one at 21-20, but the Terrapins won the second set 25-20 with four consecutive points. Catie Coyle became Maryland’s kills leader through two sets with nine.
The Terrapins started the final set with a 7-2 lead, prompting another timeout from Polhamus. That lead extended to 12-4. Georgia State tried to fight their way back into it by getting within seven at 15-8, and later to 17-12 on Kristina Stinson’s fourth kill of the match. Georgia State’s deficit was only three at 22-19 as they continued a furious rally, but an ace from Kaitlyn King and the Terrapins winning their match point clinched a 25-19 for Maryland. Bohannon led the way for the Panthers with eleven kills while Crutcher, Coyle, and Hailey Murray all finished the match in double-digits in that category.
Match 3—Loss to Radford, 3-0
The first set would see both teams tie it up at eight before a 5-0 run put Georgia State ahead 13-8. The Highlanders answered with a 4-0 run of their own to inch to within one of the Panther lead. Including the four consecutive points, Radford scored ten of the following twelve points to gain an 18-15 advantage. A kill from the Highlanders’ Savannah Cantrell gave her squad a 22-18 lead. Rachel Wiechecki would come through to clinch the first set 25-20 for Radford. Bohannon had six kills and Zachary contributed to the Georgia State cause with four.
Set number two would see a 9-9 tie before Radford would take leads of 17-14 and 21-18 with kills from Emma Deininger. Four consecutive Panthers points would bring the team within one at 22-21 before the Highlanders would be victorious in the second frame 26-24.
Early on in the third set, Radford would go up 6-3. With the Highlanders ahead 16-12, a timeout was called by Georgia State. Another kill from Wiechecki put Radford ahead 17-13 and another Panthers timeout was called with the team trailing 22-18. Megan Short would notch her ninth kill of the match to give the Highlanders the 25-20 win over the Panthers. Wiechecki finished with eleven kills and Jena Braden contributed 38 assists. For Georgia State, Bohannon and Zachary each had 12 kills each.
With the team now at 2-8, Georgia State’s next match will be on Friday on the road at UL-Monroe at 8 p.m.
