STATESBORO – Georgia Southern turned a slow start into a statement win Thursday night, rallying past Appalachian State in a five-set thriller at Hanner Fieldhouse. With the crowd on its feet, the Eagles clawed their way back to take the match 3-2 (22-25, 25-27, 25-22, 25-20, 16-14) – earning their sixth Sun Belt victory of the season and moving to 15-3 overall.

"It's a great win for them," head coach Chad Willis said. "Especially after two weeks ago being at home in a similar situation and not being able to close out the fifth, I'm just super proud of the effort."
 
Early on, it looked like the Mountaineers might steal one on the road. App State's attack came out firing, taking advantage of early miscues from Georgia Southern to build a 2-0 lead. But the Eagles didn't flinch. Behind their trademark energy and steady presence at the net, they found their footing – and never looked back.
 
Reagan Barth set the tone offensively, posting 15 kills and 16 digs for her ninth double-double of the year. Sam Bowron added 12 kills and matched her physicality at the net with five block assists, while Alex Myers was a force in the middle with 10 kills and five blocks of her own.

Middle hitters Lydia Seymour and Maggie Sale brought consistency when the Eagles needed it most, combining for 21 kills on a .362 hitting percentage.
 
Setter Kirsten Barrett orchestrated the attack with 47 assists, spreading the offense evenly across the floor and keeping the Mountaineer defense guessing. In the back row, libero Maddie Cugino anchored the defense with 29 digs, helping the Eagles fend off late-set surges and fuel their comeback.
 
The fourth set marked a turning point. After trailing for much of the night, Georgia Southern surged ahead with a 6-1 run capped by a Barth kill that sent the match to a decisive fifth. From there, it was a battle of grit – four ties, two lead changes and a final block from the Eagles to seal the 16-14 victory and ignite the home crowd.
 
Georgia Southern finished with 60 kills and a .220 hitting percentage while out-blocking App State 18-12. The win marks another resilient performance for a squad that continues to find ways to win when the pressure mounts.
 
The Eagles will look to carry that momentum into Friday's match with the Mountaineers as they continue to defend home court.