STATESBORO– Georgia Southern volleyball (5-0) tied a program record for most consecutive wins to start a season after downing Stetson (4-2) 25-21, 25-19, 25-20 on Saturday.

"We knew we were going to get a battle from them," head coach Chad Wilis said. "They do a pretty good job of playing clean, and we were going to have to match that on our side, and out of the gate, we were able to put up some pretty explosive offensive numbers."

The first set, similar to the game, was all Georgia Southern. The Eagles led by as much as eight during the frame. Paige Powers chipped in four kills.

"We really worked together and stayed connected as a team [this weekend]," Powers said. "Every single person did their job. It was a full team win."

While the Hatters briefly led during the second stanza, a 9-3 run by the home team quelled all hopes of a tied game. Ailie Hair sealed the set with an emphatic kill to take a 2-0 lead after the 25-21 victory.

Set three left no doubt who would win the match, as the Eagles charged to an 8-3 advantage and did not look back. The visitors mounted a brief 3-0 rally at match point, but Jordan Christy, with the Hanner faithful on its feet, ended the game on a high note with a kill.

Powers and Jillian Gray paced the floor with 11 kills, and Kirsten Barrett's 20 assists and 13 digs were team-highs.

Gray was named tournament MVP after a 34-kill, six-block weekend, while Ashlyn Lovett (48 digs, 17 assists) and Powers (21 kills, 8 aces) rounded out the all-tournament team.

This win was number 550 in program history, while the 5-0 record is the team's best to start a season since 1992 when it also went 5-0.

The Eagles head to the road for the Fairfield Inn and Suites Dunn Campbell Invitational, where UTSA, San Jose State and Campbell are on the docket beginning on Sep. 8.