Pfefferkorn Shines, Eagles Four Match Win Streak Snapped at Wake Forest

Saturday, September 12

Winston-Salem, NC

5 p.m.

Georgia Southern University

4-4,0-0Sun Belt

Wake Forest

3-5,0-0ACC

Team	1	2	3	4	5	Final F
Ga. Southern	23	25	28	23	13	2
Wake Forest	25	20	26	25	15	3

Pfefferkorn Shines, Eagles Four Match Win Streak Snapped at Wake Forest

9/12/2026 8:25:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Georgia Southern lost to Wake Forest 3-2 on Saturday, with set scores of 23-25, 25-20, 28-26, 23-25 and 13-15. The Eagles finished with 74 kills, 96 digs and 12 blocks, but Wake Forest took the final two sets by two points apiece.

Pfefferkorn led the Eagles with 25 kills, 27.5 points and a .447 hitting percentage while adding five total blocks. Reagan Barth recorded 19 kills, 26 digs, two aces and 22.5 points. Ekeler finished with 28 assists and 12 digs. Kayla Knowles posted a team-high six total blocks.

HOW IT HAPPENED
First Set
- Wake Forest built early advantages, moving ahead 5-2 and later 13-10 before the Eagles began to close the gap.
- Beka Pfefferkorn and Sam Bowron helped erase the 13-10 deficit, and Alex Myers' kill put the Eagles ahead 15-14.
- Gabby Babinski had back-to-back kills to move the Eagles in front 18-17, but Wake Forest answered with four of the next five points to go up 21-19.
- The Eagles pulled even at 22-22 on a block by Pfefferkorn and Kayla Knowles, but Wake Forest scored three of the final four points to take the set 25-23.

Second Set
- Wake Forest moved ahead 4-2 before the Eagles answered with kills from Pfefferkorn, Reagan Barth and Sam Bowron to take a 5-4 lead.
- The teams traded points through a 12-12 tie, then the Eagles moved in front behind kills from Alex Myers, Bowron and Gabby Babinski before an Alex Myers ace made it 20-14.
- Wake Forest cut the margin to 21-18, but Pfefferkorn delivered two late kills and Babinski closed the set with an ace for a 25-20 Eagles win.

Third Set
- The Eagles started with three straight points, including kills by Pfefferkorn and Reagan Barth, before Wake Forest worked back and moved ahead 14-10.
- Pfefferkorn helped drive a seven-of-eight stretch as the Eagles turned the 14-10 deficit into a 17-15 lead, with Kayla Knowles, Sam Bowron and Alex Myers involved in blocks during the run.
- After Wake Forest tied the set at 18-18, Barth delivered consecutive kills and Mayte Camacho added an ace to put the Eagles back in front 21-18, but Wake Forest later pulled even at 24-24.
- The teams traded points deep into extra play before a Wake Forest service error gave the Eagles a 27-26 edge, and Myers followed with the final kill for a 28-26 set win.

Fourth Set
- Wake Forest won the first three points and later built a 15-10 lead on a Sanaa Williams kill.
- The Eagles scored seven straight points to move ahead 17-15, using two Anna Powell kills, a Pfefferkorn kill, a Reagan Barth ace and consecutive blocks by Pfefferkorn and Kayla Knowles.
- Wake Forest responded with four straight points to retake the lead, and although the Eagles pulled even at 21-21 on a Reagan Barth/Alex Myers block, Wake Forest closed the set 25-23 on a Lyla Stewart kill.

Fifth Set
- After Wake Forest scored first, the Eagles answered with a Reagan Barth kill, a Kayla Knowles-Pfefferkorn block and a Pfefferkorn kill from Bella Ekeler to move ahead 3-1.
- Wake Forest scored the next three points to go in front 4-3, but Pfefferkorn tied it and Maddie Cugino followed with an ace for a 5-4 Eagles lead.
- From there, neither team scored consecutive points until the finish, with the Eagles getting kills from Pfefferkorn, Gabby Babinski, Barth, Lexi Duffy and Alex Myers during a run of ties through 13-13.
- Wake Forest closed the set with back-to-back kills from Amina Ndiaye to take the fifth set 15-13.

Game Notes:
- Team - Achieved a season-high 74 kills in the match.
- Team - Recorded a season-high 96 digs in the match.
- Pfefferkorn - Achieved a career-high of 25 kills.
- Pfefferkorn - Recorded a season-high total of 5 blocks.

QUOTES
"Disappointing result tonight, regardless of some high-level play, too many unforced errors in key moments. A lot we can take away and learn from that type of match that should help us moving forward and that starts with a bounce back opportunity tomorrow." – Head coach Chad Willis on falling to Wake Forest Saturday.

UP NEXT
Up next, the Eagles visit East Carolina on Sunday, Sept. 13, at 11:30 a.m. at Varsity Arena in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.