BOONE, N.C.- Georgia Southern volleyball (14-2, 4-1 SBC) was handed its first loss in over a month, falling in five sets at App State (10-6, 4-1) on the road on Friday.

The Eagles were off and running in set one, as Reagan Barth chipped in three kills in the first eight points and the Eagles led 7-1.

GS held serve for the remainder of the set, as a Barth ace made it 21-12. After a small rally by the home team, Logan Jones capped the first frame with an ace as the Eagles hit .448.

It was the Mountaineers who got off to a roaring start in set two, sprinting to a 10-1 advantage before the Eagles recorded a kill.

GS eventually clawed back in the frame, with Jillian Gray slamming home a kill to make it 24-23, but the Mountaineers sided out and won the next point and the set 25-23.

The Eagles bounced back in the third frame. Falling down early 7-6, they rattled off the next six points and never looked back. An App service error gave the Eagles a 25-20 win and 2-1 set advantage.

The fourth set played out similarly on the opposite side as the Mountaineers went on a 6-0 run to get an early lead, and the visitors never could get the rhythm going. App won the fourth set 25-15.

In a decisive fifth set, the Eagles kept getting to within a few points but could never overtake the home team. Consecutive attack errors by App got GS to within 11-10, but a 3-0 run quelled the rally as the Eagles fell for the first time since Aug. 30.

GS recorded its first loss when outhitting the opponent since Nov. 19, 2023.

Barth recorded her second 20-kill match of the season, pacing the field highlighted by Paige Powers (15) and Gray (10) also reaching double digits.

Barth reached a double-double by adding 19 digs, only trailing Ashlyn Lovett (21) in the category. Maggie Sale led with five total blocks, and Kirsten Barrett's 43 helpers tied a season-high.

Lovett surpassed Megan Lippi and now sits alone in second in the record books for career digs.

The Eagles will have a quick turnaround for game two which is Saturday at 1:00.