Eagles Dispatch Tigers, 3-0
9/7/2009 9:26:00 PM | Volleyball
SAVANNAH, GA – Georgia Southern registered a 3-0 victory over Savannah State, Monday (September 7), defeating the Tigers, 25-13, 25-20, 25-14. The Eagles were led by Parker Small's 11 kills and Kate Van Dyke's 35 assists and 10 digs. Lauren Claybaugh added 10 kills as Georgia Southern cruised to its fourth victory of the season, now standing at 4-3. Savannah State dropped to 2-4 with the loss.
The Tigers grabbed the first point of the opening set and kept the score close until a kill by Moriah Bellissimo (Blackstone, Va.) at 4-all sparked a 7-0 run by the Eagles, pushing the score to 11-4. SSU would only register two kills and an ace the remainder of the set, capitalizing on six Georgia Southern errors. Five kills from the Eagles put the score at 18-10 before a block by Claybaugh (Danville, Calif.) and Sarah Gildersleeve (Naples, Fla.) prompted a Savannah State timeout. Bellissimo's fourth kill of the set gave the Eagles set point and a Hannah Nelson (Norcross, Ga.) kill secured the set for the Eagles.
The Eagles closed out the opening stanza 25-13 behind Claybaugh's and Gildersleeve's five kills each. Georgia Southern posted a .351 attack percentage with 18 kills in the opening set.
In the second set, Georgia Southern wasted no time jumping out with the early lead. Starting in set two, Small (Charlotte, N.C.) made immediate impact as the Eagles went ahead 6-2 off three kills from the sophomore Eagle. Back-to-back kills by Van Dyke (Shawnee, Kan.) forced a SSU timeout at 11-5. After holding a seven-point lead, the Tigers closed the margin to within three, 21-18, but could not overcome the Eagles who closed out the second set, 25-20.
Small led the attack for the Eagles, posting five kills in the second set. Georgia Southern hit a match-high .444 from the floor with 16 kills, while committing only four errors.
Returning from the break, SSU held the lead twice early in the third set. Trailing by one, Leah Kettelson (Wray, Colo.) registered her first kill of the match to tie the set at 4-all. The Kettelson kill sparked a 7-1 Georgia Southern run, as the Tigers called timeout at 11-5. Three errors by the Eagles made the score 11-8 before Georgia Southern slowly widened its lead to seven at 18-11. Five Eagle kills, an ace from Kirby Monson (Houston, TX) and a Tiger error secured the set and match for Georgia Southern at 25-14.
For the match, the Eagles held to the Tigers to a minus -.043 hitting percentage, allowing only 12 kills and 10 assists. SSU was led by Shatice White who registered four kills and eight digs.
As a team, Georgia Southern hit .330 from the floor, led by Small who hit .562 with 11 kills and only two errors. Claybaugh followed closely behind with 10 kills. Van Dyke continued to shine with 35 assists and 10 digs for the Eagles.
The Eagles return to the court when they host the 'Bash in the Boro, September 11-12. Wake Forest, Coastal Carolina and Auburn will make the trip to Statesboro for the two-day tournament beginning Friday.
Season tickets for the 2009 Georgia Southern volleyball season are currently on sale at $15 for a general admission pass. A family plan, which includes two adult passes and two children passes, can be purchased for only $35. Single-game tickets are priced at $5 for an adult and $1 for youth (ages 3-12).
For more information regarding tickets, please call the Georgia Southern Athletics Ticket Office at 1-800-GSU-WINS or visit the official website of the Georgia Southern Eagles at www.GeorgiaSouthernEagles.com.
The Tigers grabbed the first point of the opening set and kept the score close until a kill by Moriah Bellissimo (Blackstone, Va.) at 4-all sparked a 7-0 run by the Eagles, pushing the score to 11-4. SSU would only register two kills and an ace the remainder of the set, capitalizing on six Georgia Southern errors. Five kills from the Eagles put the score at 18-10 before a block by Claybaugh (Danville, Calif.) and Sarah Gildersleeve (Naples, Fla.) prompted a Savannah State timeout. Bellissimo's fourth kill of the set gave the Eagles set point and a Hannah Nelson (Norcross, Ga.) kill secured the set for the Eagles.
The Eagles closed out the opening stanza 25-13 behind Claybaugh's and Gildersleeve's five kills each. Georgia Southern posted a .351 attack percentage with 18 kills in the opening set.
In the second set, Georgia Southern wasted no time jumping out with the early lead. Starting in set two, Small (Charlotte, N.C.) made immediate impact as the Eagles went ahead 6-2 off three kills from the sophomore Eagle. Back-to-back kills by Van Dyke (Shawnee, Kan.) forced a SSU timeout at 11-5. After holding a seven-point lead, the Tigers closed the margin to within three, 21-18, but could not overcome the Eagles who closed out the second set, 25-20.
Small led the attack for the Eagles, posting five kills in the second set. Georgia Southern hit a match-high .444 from the floor with 16 kills, while committing only four errors.
Returning from the break, SSU held the lead twice early in the third set. Trailing by one, Leah Kettelson (Wray, Colo.) registered her first kill of the match to tie the set at 4-all. The Kettelson kill sparked a 7-1 Georgia Southern run, as the Tigers called timeout at 11-5. Three errors by the Eagles made the score 11-8 before Georgia Southern slowly widened its lead to seven at 18-11. Five Eagle kills, an ace from Kirby Monson (Houston, TX) and a Tiger error secured the set and match for Georgia Southern at 25-14.
For the match, the Eagles held to the Tigers to a minus -.043 hitting percentage, allowing only 12 kills and 10 assists. SSU was led by Shatice White who registered four kills and eight digs.
As a team, Georgia Southern hit .330 from the floor, led by Small who hit .562 with 11 kills and only two errors. Claybaugh followed closely behind with 10 kills. Van Dyke continued to shine with 35 assists and 10 digs for the Eagles.
The Eagles return to the court when they host the 'Bash in the Boro, September 11-12. Wake Forest, Coastal Carolina and Auburn will make the trip to Statesboro for the two-day tournament beginning Friday.
Season tickets for the 2009 Georgia Southern volleyball season are currently on sale at $15 for a general admission pass. A family plan, which includes two adult passes and two children passes, can be purchased for only $35. Single-game tickets are priced at $5 for an adult and $1 for youth (ages 3-12).
For more information regarding tickets, please call the Georgia Southern Athletics Ticket Office at 1-800-GSU-WINS or visit the official website of the Georgia Southern Eagles at www.GeorgiaSouthernEagles.com.
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