STATESBORO – Georgia Southern volleyball made quick work of Marshall on Saturday afternoon, rolling to a straight-set sweep (25-19, 25-16, 25-16) inside Hanner Fieldhouse to close out the weekend on a high note.
The Eagles (12-3, 3-1 SBC) dominated from the opening serve, hitting an impressive .351 as a team while holding the Thundering Herd (9-8, 1-3 SBC) to just .165 on the attack. Georgia Southern's offensive effort and efficient defense helped secure its third Sun Belt victory of the season.
"I'm proud of this group's resiliency," head coach Chad Willis said. "I think this showed our toughness, especially after a physical five-setter last night. We were really dialed into our priorities and played clean. I thought we did a great job from the service line – getting the pressure we needed to disrupt Marshall. So, it was a total team effort across the board, and I'm really proud of our response."
Leading the charge was Reagan Barth, who delivered 18 kills with a blistering .531 hitting percentage. Sam Bowron added 10 kills, while Alex Myers chipped in nine to round out a potent front line. Setter Kirsten Barrett orchestrated the offense with precision, dishing out 41 assists as the Eagles tallied 46.
Georgia Southern's defense was just as sharp, racking up 49 digs and seven total blocks. Defensive specialist Maddie Cugino anchored the back row with 11 digs, and Mayte Camacho followed closely with nine. At the net, Maggie Sale and Lydia Seymour each recorded four blocks.
Marshall's Emma Barnett led the way for the visitors with 10 kills and three blocks, while Mckenzie Schoenhardt and Emma Sayre each notched 10 digs. Despite flashes of strong play, the Herd couldn't sustain momentum against the Eagles' efficiency.
After a competitive opening set, the Eagles took control and never looked back. Barth and Bowron powered the offense in set two, helping GS build an early lead that improved as Barrett continued to find open hitters. The third set followed a similar script, as Georgia Southern's attacking rhythm and defensive stability closed out the sweep in convincing fashion.
With the win, Georgia Southern improves to 6-2 at home this season and continues to build confidence in Sun Belt action. The Eagles will look to carry their momentum into next week's conference road trip to Troy University.
