Volleyball Seniors Go Out in Style
VIDEO: Post-match interview with Kate Van Dyke & Moriah Bellissimo
VIDEO: Post-match interview with Coach Chad Callihan
STATESBORO, Ga. – Seniors Meredith Paskert, Moriah Bellissimo and Kate Van Dyke, playing in their final home contest, were honored before the match and then proceeded to lead the Eagle volleyball team to a Southern Conference South Division Championship-clinching victory, a 3-1 win over Wofford Saturday night in Hanner Fieldhouse.
It's the third SoCon regular season title for Georgia Southern and the first since 2003. It's also the Eagles' 12th-consecutive victory.
Paskert and Bellissimo each collected 15 kills and four aces, and Van Dyke posted a match-high 44 assists for the Eagles (24-6, 15-1 SoCon). Kym Coley added seven kills and five blocks, and Alexandra Beecher was credited with a match-high 28 digs.
"This team just seems to be up for every challenge they have faced this year, and it has been a real treat to watch," said GSU coach Chad Callihan. "One of our goals every year that I have been here has been to win a regular-season championship, and it is nice to achieve because it means you have been playing consistently well all season. We hope to carry the momentum forward into next weekend."
Wendy Burnett led Wofford (15-13, 5-10 SoCon) with 10 kills, and Amanda Liguori posted eight kills and nine digs.
With the match tied 1-1, the Eagles exerted their will in the third and fourth sets, holding Wofford to a total of seven kills and a -.038 hitting percentage. On the other side of the net, Georgia Southern hit .480 in the third set and .152 in the fourth.
Paskert (right) and Bellissimo kept the Terriers on their heels with their serve. The Eagles won three straight points on Paskert's serve to open an early 4-2 lead in the third set, and then she served out the last five points of the frame, including two aces. Bellissimo logged three of her aces in the fourth set.
As the top seed from the South Division, GSU will play the fourth seed in the North Division in the SoCon Tournament at Davidson next weekend. The action opens Saturday, Nov. 17, in Belk Arena.
Georgia Southern Athletics provides up-to-date information on all its sports through its official website, GSEagles.com, through social media channels facebook.com/GSAthletics and twitter.com/GSAthletics, and its new "Eagles GATA" mobile app for Android and iOS.
- Category: Volleyball
- Published on Saturday, 10 November 2012 21:45
