Eagles Suffer First Loss to Colorado State
9/4/2009 3:09:00 AM | Volleyball
FORT COLLINS, Colo. - Freshman Kate Van Dyke led all Eagles with 28 assists, but the Georgia Southern volleyball team could not capitalize on Colorado State's .330 hitting percentage and dropped its first decision of the 2009 campaign, 3-0 (25-19, 25-16, 25-19). Bethany Sanford and Lauren Claybaugh each recorded nine kills for the Eagles, who fell to 3-1 on the season.
Colorado State improved to 2-2 on the season off 38 kills on .330 hitting. Jacque Davisson posted impressive numbers for the Rams with 10 kills, a .308 hitting attempt, one service ace, seven digs and two block assists. Evan Sanders posted a game-high 30 assists as Tessa Nelson and Danielle Minch each contributed eights kills to the winning effort.
Georgia Southern hit .121 from the floor with 36 kills, 35 assists, 44 digs and three service aces. Van Dyke (Shawnee, Kan.) guided the Eagles with 28 assists and 10 digs.
The Eagles held the early advantage in the opening set as Sanford (Avondale, Ariz.) began her attack game quickly. The sophomore outside hitter gave Georgia Southern a 2-1 advantage that was held until CSU tied the game at 12-all. Sanford's third kill of the set evened the score at 13 apiece, but the Rams capitalized on an error by the Eagles to take the lead and close out the set. Claybaugh (Danville, Calif.) posted five kills in the opening stanza as Van Dyke recorded 13 of her team-high 28 assists.
Colorado State wasted no time gaining the lead early in the second set. Holding a four-point advantage, Georgia Southern quickly closed the margin to within one point, 11-12, off a Sanford kill, forcing a Colorado State timeout. A four-point Rams run pushed the margin back to five points as CSU struck back and closed out the set, 25-16.
Returning from intermission, a Georgia Southern service error gave Colorado State a 1-0 lead. The Eagles got on the scoreboard with a Hannah Nelson (Norcross, Ga.) kill, but a 4-0 Rams run gave CSU a five-point advantage. Georgia Southern chipped away at the lead, but the Rams took advantage of six service errors by the Eagles and found themselves at match point, 24-19. CSU secured the match with a block assist by Megan Plourde and Minch.
Georgia Southern returns to the court in the Hilton Classic on Friday, September 4, facing Texas-Arlington at 4:30 p.m. local time (MT). The Eagles close out the tournament on Saturday with Ohio State at 11 a.m. MT.
