ATLANTA - In a 3-0 sweep over Louisiana-Monroe, the Georgia State volleyball team snapped a 10 game losing streak and picked up its first Sun Belt conference win.
The Panthers defeated the Warhawks 25-18, 25-17, 25-18.
GSU (6-17, 1-8 Sun Belt) used a balanced offensive attack to wear down the Warhawks (5-20, 1-8). Georgia State hit .290 and was led by sophomores Dede Bohannon and Eliza Zachary. Bohannon had 14 kills while Zachary added another 10. Freshman Kristina Stinson continued to play well for the Panthers, adding in nine more kills to the 41 kill total for GSU.
On the defensive side of the ball, senior Emily Averbeck had 14 digs, while junior Natalia Nieto had 38 assists. The Panthers had a total of six blocks, two solo blocks coming from junior Andrea' Ezell.
"It feels very good to get that first Sun Belt win," head coach Tami Audia said. "We played pretty clean volleyball and we executed the game plan. I think we need to build off this past week in practice and this win today. We are ready to turn this season around and have plenty of matches left to play."
In the first set, the Panthers stayed out in front of the Warhawks most of the way. At 15-15 the two teams were tied, but GSU used several Warhawk errors to take a 20-16 lead. The Panthers then went on a 5-2 run, including two Gabby Serafin aces, to take the first set.
The second set was all GSU, as the Panthers took a stranglehold on the lead at 12-10. Georgia State grabbed seven of the next eight points to take a 19-11 lead, most coming off strong service from Nieto. Georgia State would ultimately win the second set 25-17.
Similarily to the second set, the Panthers and the Warhawks traded points back and forth to start the set. At 11-10, the Panthers started to pull away and eventually led 18-14. The Warhawks pulled back within three at 19-16, but GSU would go onto win six of the next eight points to grab the final set 25-18.
Georgia State will keep this game plan in its mind, as the Panthers will play Louisiana-Lafayette and Louisiana-Monroe, its two opponents this weekend, again next weekend. The Panthers will host Louisiana-Lafayette on Fri., Oct. 25, and try to seek revenge for the 3-2 loss they suffered on Oct. 18. GSU will then travel to Louisiana-Monroe in an attempt to repeat Sunday's effort on Sun., Oct. 27.
