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Eagle Defense Leads in 3-1 Over Appalachian State

Boone, N.C. –Senior middle hitter Sarah Gildersleeve (Naples, Fla.) and junior right side hitter Hannah Nelson (Norcross, Gal.) combined for 15 block assists, part of 16 total team blocks to help pace Georgia Southern to a 3-1 (25-20, 21-25, 25-18, 25-16) opening-round win over tournament host Appalachian State Friday night in the quarterfinals of the 2010 Southern Conference Volleyball Championship.

The Eagles (25-8) will face Elon, the No. 1 seed in the North Division, Saturday in the semifinal round at 4:30 p.m. The Phoenix (21-13) swept Davidson 3-0 earlier today to advance.

Gildersleeve recorded a career-high nine block assists, adding two block solos to lead GSU on defense, while Nelson added six block assists and one solo on the night. Nelson and junior outside hitter Bethany Sanford (Avondale, Ariz.) tallied 13 kills apiece for the Eagles offensively.

Sophomore setter Kate Van Dyke (Shawnee, Kan.), a 2010 First Team All-Southern Conference selection, turned in the second 30 assist/20 dig match of her career, dishing out 38 assists with 20 digs on defense. Three other Eagles reached double figures in digs, including junior libero Ashley Roe (Campbell, Calif.) and junior outside hitter Hayli Ketner (Spartanburg, S.C.) who each finished with 14.

Georgia Southern held Appalachian State to just .067 on its home court, including a -.090 in the fourth and final set of the match.

To visit the official Southern Conference Volleyball Championships page with links to live stats and video feeds, click here.

Category: Volleyball

Published on Friday, 19 November 2010 23:48