Georgia Southern University Athletics

Volleyball Preview: Eagles Host SpringHill Suites Invitational

GS plays Buffalo, Wake Forest and South Carolina in Hanner Fieldhouse.

By: Marc Gignac

Tim Cowie

Anna Wenger is coming off a season-high 10 kills at Winthrop Monday.

Volleyball | 9/7/2016 2:13:00 PM

Georgia Southern (4-4) at SpringHill Suites Invitational
Buy Tickets | Tournament Central (links to tourney schedule, live video, live stats and team info)
Dates: Sept. 9-10
Site: Hanner Fieldhouse
Probable GS Lineup:
#4 Stephanie Spencer
#6 Lauren Reichard
#8 Alex Beecher
#10 Cathrine Murray
#13 Katie Bange
#14 Kendra Koetter
#21 Reilly Bosworth

Georgia Southern returns home to host Buffalo, Wake Forest and South Carolina at the SpringHill Suites Invitational Sept. 9-10. The Eagles take on Buffalo at noon and Wake Forest at 7 p.m. on Friday and face South Carolina at 6 p.m. Saturday. Saturday's match will be broadcast live on ESPN3.

The Eagles are 0-1 all-time against South Carolina and 1-2 against Wake Forest. Georgia Southern is 1-0 against Buffalo.

Buffalo assistant coach Scott Smith was an assistant at Georgia Southern from 2010-14. The Eagles won over 100 matches and made two of the school's four NCAA Tournament appearances during Smith's five years on the coaching staff.

Georgia Southern is coming off a 3-2 loss at Winthrop Monday.

The Eagles went 4-0 and won the Bash in the Boro, their first home tournament, Sept. 1-2. Katie Bange was named the tournament MVP, while Alex Beecher and Cathrine Murray joined the senior on the all-tournament team.

Bange averaged 3.71 kills, 4.21 assists, 1.71 digs and 0.86 blocks per set. She notched her first triple double with 15 kills, 18 assists and 10 digs to go along with four blocks against Charleston Southern. Bange posted a career-high 21 kills as well as 17 assists, nine digs and five blocks in the championship match against The Citadel. Bange recorded her second triple-double of the season with 15 kills, 21 assists and 11 digs at Winthrop.

Beecher averaged 5.00 digs per set and had five service aces, 14 assists and two kills in the four matches at the Bash in the Boro. The senior logged 26 digs, four assists, two kills, and two aces in the championship match against The Citadel. It was her 36th career match with 20-plus digs. Already Georgia Southern's career leader in digs, she needs 126 to reach the 2,000 mark.

Murray went over 500 kills for her career after the first day of the tournament and finished the weekend with 46 kills, 31 digs and seven blocks for the weekend. She tallied 20 kills, 13 digs and four aces at Winthrop.

Following the weekend, Georgia Southern hosts North Florida Tuesday, Sept. 13, at 6 p.m.

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, twitter.com/GSAthletics, iOS app Georgia Southern Eagles and Android app Eagles GATA. Fans can purchase tickets to Georgia Southern Athletics events by visiting GSEagles.com/tickets.

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Players Mentioned

#13 Katie Bange: S/RS; 6' 4"; Redshirt Senior; A5

#8 Alex Beecher: DS; 5' 9"; Redshirt Senior; Orlando Volleyball Academy

#14 Kendra Koetter: S/DS; 5' 8"; Sophomore; A5 18 Club Team

#10 Cathrine Murray: OH; 5' 11"; Junior; Coast

#6 Lauren Reichard: M; 6' 0"; Sophomore; Yorktowne Volleyball Club

#4 Stephanie Spencer: OH; 6' 1"; Sophomore; Ohio Extreme

#21 Reilly Bosworth: M; 6' 1"; Freshman; Wave

Players Mentioned

#13 Katie Bange
: 6' 4"; Redshirt Senior; A5
: S/RS

#8 Alex Beecher
: 5' 9"; Redshirt Senior; Orlando Volleyball Academy
: DS

#14 Kendra Koetter
: 5' 8"; Sophomore; A5 18 Club Team
: S/DS

#10 Cathrine Murray
: 5' 11"; Junior; Coast
: OH

#6 Lauren Reichard
: 6' 0"; Sophomore; Yorktowne Volleyball Club
: M

#4 Stephanie Spencer
: 6' 1"; Sophomore; Ohio Extreme
: OH

#21 Reilly Bosworth
: 6' 1"; Freshman; Wave
: M