Memphis, Tenn.- Muki Kangwa racked up 17 kills and Vineece Verdun had 16 but the Georgia State volleyball team fell short to host Memphis (4-0) Saturday evening in four electrifying sets (25-22, 24-26, 25-23, 25-22) as the Panthers (3-1) took second place in the Memphis Invitational at Elma Roane Fieldhouse.
Verdun and Kangwa each made the all-tournament team as the seniors piled up 53 and 44 kills, respectively, over the four-match Invitational.
Defensive specialist Emily Averbeck amassed 58 digs over the weekend to lead the Panthers, while junior Jamiee Freeman served up a team-high 11 aces as GSU won 10 of 15 total sets over the two days.
Earlier Saturday, the Panthers shut out Alabama A&M in three sets (25-10, 25-18, 25-19) to advance to the evening tilt undefeated.
Match One- GSU 3, Alabama A&M 0
The Panthers jumped out to a 14-2 lead in the opening set of Saturday's first match and never looked back against Alabama A&M. GSU took the opening frame, 25-10, taking advantage of 10 Bulldog errors.
In set two, the Panthers took another early lead and used six kills by Vineece Verdun and four from Muki Kangwa to win 25-18 and take a two-set lead.
It was more of the same in the third set as the Panthers opened up an 11-3 cushion, then withstood a late Bulldogs rally to pull out the clinching set, 25-19.
Kangwa finished with 10 kills and four digs to help keep the Panthers undefeated on the young season.
Freshman Andrea Ezell had three blocks defensively to lead GSU.
Match Two- Memphis 3, GSU 1
The Panthers stood toe-to-toe with the host Tigers throughout the night, including battling the home team to a 14-all tie in set number one, but Memphis squeaked by with a 25-22 win in the first frame.
Things went GSU's way in set number two. Setter Kaylee McGrew had 15 assists in setting up GSU's high-powered attack, enabling Verdun to total six kills as GSU rallied from 20-18 deficit to claim a 26-24 win.
In the third set, the Panthers claimed a 5-0 lead thanks to kills by Verdun, McGrew and Freeman. The teams then traded jabs and were deadlocked at 13-13 before Memphis outlasted GSU en route to a narrow 25-23 win that gave the Tigers a one-set advantage.
Once more, GSU gave Memphis everything they could handle in set number four, and after a Verdun block, the Panthers claimed a 17-13 lead. Memphis would mount a 10-2 run however that gave the home team a lead they would not relinquish, and the Tigers took the fourth and final set, 25-22.
The Panthers return to action next weekend by hosting the GSU Invitational, Friday and Saturday at the GSU Sports Arena. The College of Charleston, Harvard and Jacksonville State will come to Atlanta, with GSU first playing Friday at 3 p.m. against JSU.
