ARLINGTON, Texas – Sun Belt Player of the Year Leah Hardeman tallied 13 kills and 10 digs to lead Coastal Carolina to a 3-0 (25-12, 25-18, 25-14) victory over Georgia Southern in the Sun Belt Volleyball Tournament Friday in the College Park Center.

Katie Bange posted seven kills and two blocks to lead Georgia Southern, which sees its season end with a 15-18 record. Alex Beecher collected 16 digs.

Tahleia Bishop recorded 10 kills, and Natasa Savovic posted nine kills and 12 digs for Coastal Carolina (25-4).

The story
Coastal Carolina hit .262 for the match while holding the Eagles to .062. The Chanticleers posted 22 more kills than the Eagles.

Trailing 2-0 in the match, GS jumped out to an early lead in the third set, and a kill by Anna Wenger made the score 8-3 in favor of the Eagles. The Chanticleers called timeout and promptly ran off eight straight points, part of an 11-1 run that gave Coastal Carolina a 14-9 lead. The margin ballooned to as many as 10 points before the Chants took the set 25-14.

Georgia Southern returns five of their seven starters and 17 of 19 letterwinners to the 2017 team.

Quotable from head coach Dustin Wood
"I think our kids just pressed too hard. They wanted it but just lacked execution. Offensively, we just couldn't connect very well. We had to make a setter change. We struggled setting the ball and running the offense tonight, which had been kind of our Achilles heel. We had been on a good run. I just feel bad for the kids. They just pressed too hard tonight."

On fifth-year seniors Alex Beecher and Katie Bange 
"They've won a championship with me, and we are really going to miss them. Those two are model student-athletes and are what Georgia Southern volleyball is all about. They've sacrificed a lot, and this loss is not going to define their careers. They are winners, and they've sacrificed a lot to be here for five years and go through the ups and downs. Their careers were amazing, and they'll be greatly missed."

On having key contributions from underclassmen and the future of the program
"It is bright. It is one of those things that we are looking for - those kids that can compete. Our gym is getting better. It's just about finding the consistency of everything that we are doing in the gym. We are just a little inconsistent, and sometimes we are a little young, which shows. The good thing is we are getting more experienced, and a lot of it is development. We have a lot of work to do in the spring, and I know that locker room is ready to get back there this week and start working."

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