STATESBORO– The Georgia Southern volleyball team (3-0) hit a scorching .443 and got everyone involved in a 3-0 sweep of The Citadel (0-4), extending its season-opening win streak to three.

"That was a lot of fun tonight. We got a lot of players in there and built some confidence for our young players," head coach Chad Willis said. "I think that's going to pay dividends down the road for us."

While the Bulldogs proved formidable early on, the Eagles' hot hitting put them firmly in control late. Leading 10-8, Reagan Barth had four kills in a 6-0 run to extend it to 16-8. A 7-0 run followed with Kirsten Barrett recording consecutive service aces and Maggie Sale had a pair of kills, as the Eagles cruised to a 25-11 opener win.

Anna Powell and Gabby Babinski made their Eagles debuts in the second set. Both got involved early and recorded their first collegiate kills right away. Kayla Knowles had two kills and a block in a five-point sequence as the Eagles once again were on the offensive, leading 17-7.

Up 19-11, the Eagles went on a 6-0 run featuring two more kills from Babinski and Powell. Mayte Camacho closed it out with an ace and the Eagles had a commanding 2-0 set lead.

GS was hitting over .500 through two sets, and while that number stabilized late, the Eagles still controlled the ensuing stanza. Babinski had a pair of kills and combined with Ailie Hair on a block early as the teams were tied at 10.

A 5-0 run after an Eagles timeout proved to be a crucial moment in the set, as the team marched on to a 25-16 win.

While no Eagle had more than 10 kills, Babinski had a standout effort in her collegiate debut, hitting .900 (9-0-10) for one of the top errorless performances in school history. She became one of a select few Eagles to hit .800 or better, with a minimum 10 swings in a game, and the first to hit .850 or better minimum 10 swings since Hannah Nelson (12-0-14, .857) also did so against The Citadel in 2010.

"At first, I was a little nervous, but I just love playing with these girls, our energy was great," Babinski said. "I think I've been getting better at seeing the other side and mixing up my shots, and it helps when you have a team like ours calling the shots."

Barth added nine kills, Powell rounded out the top three with six, and Lexi Duffy had a strong effort in the setter position. She dished 22 assists and having seven digs to go along with a trio of blocks. Maddie Cugino had 15 digs and four assists in the win.

GS improved to 31-0 all-time against The Citadel with the victory, one of the longest active undefeated stretches against an opponent. It was the teams' first matchup since 2016.

The Eagles have a few days off before hosting the Eagle Invitational, beginning with a matchup against UNCW on Friday.