Defense Key in Volleyball's Sweep of Davidson
10/14/2007 4:17:00 AM | Volleyball
STATESBORO, Ga. --- Georgia Southern held Davidson to a -.079 hitting percentage through the first two games in a 3-0 (30-18, 30-18, 30-28) volleyball sweep Sunday afternoon at Hanner Fieldhouse.
The Eagles improve to 7-15 overall and 4-6 in the Southern Conference. The Wildcats fall to 6-16, 1-8.
“This weekend was tough with two great teams,” said GSU head coach Nicole McCray. “But to come out 1-1 is very good for our team. Hopefully it’s a good start for our two home matches next weekend.”
Davidson committed 10 errors in each of the first two games and hit -.077 and -.081, respectively. Georgia Southern recorded a .212 attack percentage overall.
“We won the serving and passing battle, by far. When we served aggressively, they became very predictable. And when we passed, Mae (Chabra) and Jessica (Bradford) were able to spread the offense and that was the difference in the game.”
GSU totaled seven blocks ? four by freshman Michelle Uzoh (San Antonio, Texas) and three each by senior Gorana Bacic (Richmond, Va.) and freshman Sarah Gildersleeve (Naples, Fla.).
The Eagles never trailed in games one and two, but game three featured 15 ties and seven lead changes. The teams battled to a 20-20 tie and the largest lead by either team to that point was three. GSU won the next four points and held off a late Davidson charge to get the victory.
Bacic led the Georgia Southern offense with nine kills and a .500 hitting percentage. Four other players, Uzoh, Gildersleeve, freshman Laura Beth Lancaster (Ocala, Fla.) and junior Christy Dowd (Indianapolis, Ind.) had seven kills each.
Davidson’s Sarabeth Peele recorded a match-high 13 kills and Kittery Neale added 10.
Georgia Southern returns to action Friday when they host Furman at 7 p.m.
