Eagles Drop Tough Match to Wolfpack, 3-1
9/11/2010 1:23:00 AM | Volleyball
RALEIGH, N.C. - Junior outside hitter Bethany Sanford notched her fifth double-double of the season and hit .356 for the match but could not lead Georgia Southern past NC State in the opening game of the NC State Tournament Friday night (September 10). The non-conference opponents split the first two sets and the Wolfpack grabbed the third for a 2-1 match lead. NC State then battled back in the fourth frame to secure the match win, 3-1 (25-21, 22-25, 25-19, 25-23).
Georgia Southern dropped to 3-5 on the season, while NC State improved to 6-1.
Sanford (Avondale, Ariz.) led the way for the Eagles, racking up 20 kills, 11 digs and one solo block. Kate Van Dyke (Shawnee, Kan.) posted 41 assists, while Moriah Bellissimo (Blackstone, Va.) posted a match-high 14 digs. Enjoli Johnson (Lilburn, Ga.) collected four blocks, two block assists and two solos, and added four kills. For the Wolfpack, Margaret Salata collected 17 kills followed by Becah Fogle with 16. Kelly Wood recorded 12 digs and Megan Cyr posted a match-high 45 assists.
Georgia Southern got off to a slow start in the opening frame with three Fogle kills jumpstarting the early NC State advantage. Ashley Roe's (Campbell, Calif.) first service ace of the match drew the score to 4-3 before the Wolfpack went on a 5-0 run to take a 9-3 lead, forcing an Eagle timeout. Lauren Claybaugh (Danville, Calif.), drilling a kill, sparked an 11-2 Georgia Southern run as the Eagles erased a 10-point deficit and returned serve to the Eagles. A service error from Wood moved the score to 20-14 before Sanford picked up a kill and Small and Van Dyke went up for a block assist. Sanford erupted picking up a kill, solo block and another kill consecutively to pull the Eagles to within two, 21-19. Van Dyke put Georgia Southern within striking distance of one point, 21-20, but NC State closed out the set with a 4-1 run for a 25-21 opening set victory.
Knotted at 5-5, a Wolfpack error and two Sanford kills handed Georgia Southern an 8-5 advantage. NC State kept the difference to three points until a Johnson and Small block assist moved the Eagles in front, 12-8. Claybaugh's third kill of the set gave GS a 15-11 lead before a NC State error forced the Wolfpack to burn a timeout. NC State's second timeout came five points later after a Wolfpack error handed the Eagles a 19-13 lead. Georgia Southern took a seven-point lead, 20-13, before NC State went on a 5-1 run closing its disadvantage to 21-18. Sanford's ninth kill of the frame snapped the run. NC State held off two set points in its late comeback attempt that fell short as the Eagles secured the second set, 25-22.
In the set, Sanford hit .571 with nine kills on 14 attempts, committing only one error. As a team, Georgia Southern improved from its first set .143 hitting clip to hitting .314 in the second set.
The two teams battled back-and-forth through four ties to open set three before NC State took a two-point lead, 9-7. But Georgia Southern climbed back and took a 12-10 lead using a 5-1 run. But the Wolfpack held strong and knotted the score at 12-all. Tied at 14, three unanswered Wolfpack points pushed NC State in the lead, 17-14. NC State continued the strong play, rounding out the set, 25-19 to take a 2-1 lead.
NC State and Georgia Southern challenged each other through the start of the fourth set with Georgia Southern claiming a three-point advantage twice through a 19-19 tie. NC State took its first lead of the set, 20-19, following a Georgia Southern ball handling error, but Sanford tied the score at 20-20 with a kill. The Wolfpack erased a two-point deficit of 22-20 with a kill and ace drawing the score to the 13th tie of the frame. NC State took the lead on an Eagle attack error and grabbed match point off a Fogle kill. Brie Merriwether capped the match for the Wolfpack with a kill at 25-23.
Georgia Southern will continue tournament action facing Morehead State and Mercer on Saturday, Sept. 11. The Eagles will face Morehead State at 11 a.m. and close out the tournament against Mercer at 5:30 p.m.
Georgia Southern dropped to 3-5 on the season, while NC State improved to 6-1.
Sanford (Avondale, Ariz.) led the way for the Eagles, racking up 20 kills, 11 digs and one solo block. Kate Van Dyke (Shawnee, Kan.) posted 41 assists, while Moriah Bellissimo (Blackstone, Va.) posted a match-high 14 digs. Enjoli Johnson (Lilburn, Ga.) collected four blocks, two block assists and two solos, and added four kills. For the Wolfpack, Margaret Salata collected 17 kills followed by Becah Fogle with 16. Kelly Wood recorded 12 digs and Megan Cyr posted a match-high 45 assists.
Georgia Southern got off to a slow start in the opening frame with three Fogle kills jumpstarting the early NC State advantage. Ashley Roe's (Campbell, Calif.) first service ace of the match drew the score to 4-3 before the Wolfpack went on a 5-0 run to take a 9-3 lead, forcing an Eagle timeout. Lauren Claybaugh (Danville, Calif.), drilling a kill, sparked an 11-2 Georgia Southern run as the Eagles erased a 10-point deficit and returned serve to the Eagles. A service error from Wood moved the score to 20-14 before Sanford picked up a kill and Small and Van Dyke went up for a block assist. Sanford erupted picking up a kill, solo block and another kill consecutively to pull the Eagles to within two, 21-19. Van Dyke put Georgia Southern within striking distance of one point, 21-20, but NC State closed out the set with a 4-1 run for a 25-21 opening set victory.
Knotted at 5-5, a Wolfpack error and two Sanford kills handed Georgia Southern an 8-5 advantage. NC State kept the difference to three points until a Johnson and Small block assist moved the Eagles in front, 12-8. Claybaugh's third kill of the set gave GS a 15-11 lead before a NC State error forced the Wolfpack to burn a timeout. NC State's second timeout came five points later after a Wolfpack error handed the Eagles a 19-13 lead. Georgia Southern took a seven-point lead, 20-13, before NC State went on a 5-1 run closing its disadvantage to 21-18. Sanford's ninth kill of the frame snapped the run. NC State held off two set points in its late comeback attempt that fell short as the Eagles secured the second set, 25-22.
In the set, Sanford hit .571 with nine kills on 14 attempts, committing only one error. As a team, Georgia Southern improved from its first set .143 hitting clip to hitting .314 in the second set.
The two teams battled back-and-forth through four ties to open set three before NC State took a two-point lead, 9-7. But Georgia Southern climbed back and took a 12-10 lead using a 5-1 run. But the Wolfpack held strong and knotted the score at 12-all. Tied at 14, three unanswered Wolfpack points pushed NC State in the lead, 17-14. NC State continued the strong play, rounding out the set, 25-19 to take a 2-1 lead.
NC State and Georgia Southern challenged each other through the start of the fourth set with Georgia Southern claiming a three-point advantage twice through a 19-19 tie. NC State took its first lead of the set, 20-19, following a Georgia Southern ball handling error, but Sanford tied the score at 20-20 with a kill. The Wolfpack erased a two-point deficit of 22-20 with a kill and ace drawing the score to the 13th tie of the frame. NC State took the lead on an Eagle attack error and grabbed match point off a Fogle kill. Brie Merriwether capped the match for the Wolfpack with a kill at 25-23.
Georgia Southern will continue tournament action facing Morehead State and Mercer on Saturday, Sept. 11. The Eagles will face Morehead State at 11 a.m. and close out the tournament against Mercer at 5:30 p.m.
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