Box Score

Post-match Press Conference | Photo gallery

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Nicole Walch recorded a match-high 15 kills, and No. 16 Florida State held Georgia Southern to an .085 hitting percentage to post a 3-0 (25-19, 25-20, 25-20) victory over the Eagles in the first round of the NCAA Volleyball Championship Thursday evening in the O'Connell Center.

Kym Coley had 10 kills and two blocks to lead Georgia Southern, while Jamie DeRatt and Nicole Jeschelnik each posted six kills. Alexandra Beecher finished with a match-high 15 digs, and Katalin Minnerly notched 27 assists and six digs.

The Eagles see their season come to an end and finish the campaign with a 28-6 mark, tying the school record for wins. Georgia Southern returns 10 letterwinners and six starters to the 2014 roster, including all-conference selections DeRatt, Coley and Minnerly.

"We had a great season, and I'm very proud of what they accomplished," said Georgia Southern first-year coach Dustin Wood. "SoCon regular-season champions, SoCon Tournament champions, and it was nice to see them get over the hump and reach this stage again. They welcomed me with open arms, and I really enjoy being around them."

Olivera Medic collected eight kills and 14 digs for the Seminoles (25-7), while Sarah Burrington and Ashley Neff each put down seven kills.

Leading 10-8 in the first set, Florida State used an 8-3 run to take control of the frame. Nicole Walch had two kills during the run, and Elise Walch added a third. DeRatt and Jeschelnik tallied consecutive kills for the Eagles to trim the margin to 19-15, but the Seminoles scored two in a row to push the lead back to six. Crysten Curry sparked a 3-0 Eagle run with a kill, and Georgia Southern pulled to within three points twice, but Medic put down two kills for the Seminoles as they took the set 25-19.

Coley had three kills to spark an 8-2 Eagle run to open the second set. Trailing 13-9, Florida State used a 6-1 run to take its first lead at 15-14. Nicole Walch recorded two kills during the stretch, and Burrington added two more. With the Seminoles leading 17-16, Neff tallied two kills as the Seminoles scored four straight points en route to taking the frame 25-20.

The third set was the tightest of the trio and featured 13 ties and five lead changes. Neff posted two kills as Florida State broke a 15-15 with a 4-1 run. The Seminoles pushed the margin to 21-17, but the Eagles trimmed the cushion to 22-20 as Coley and Jeschelnik got a block and Coley followed it with a kill. Walch halted the run with a kill for FSU, and the Seminoles finished the match with consecutive blocks.

Georgia Southern Athletics provides up-to-date information on all its sports through its official website, GSEagles.com, through social media channels facebook.com/GSAthletics and twitter.com/GSAthletics, and its "Eagles GATA" mobile app for Android and iOS.