It was a night of dramatic highs and heartwrenching lows. It was a night when it all seemed to be goingso right and all seemed to be going so wrong all in a span of minutes. Ultimately, it was a night of jubilation.
Ana Paula Ferreira and Michelle Trimble each had a double-double and Christen Garcia had 20 digs as the Georgia State volleyball team rallied on Senior Night - Garcia's Night - for a thrilling 3-2 (30-22, 27-30, 12-30, 30-27, 15-13) victory over Delaware at the Sports Arena.
"This team really proved what they are made of tonight," said Georgia State head coach Mike Webster. "After the way we lost game three, it was a tremendous effort by our team to come back the way we did."
Game one was close early with the Panthers leading just 14-13 before State went on a 5-0 run. Fueled by a pair of Leah Tenney service aces, a Delaware attack error, and kills by Ferreira and Trimble, State found themselves ahead by six after the run. The lead would swell to eight when an ace by junior Jordan Thomas gave State game point at 29-21. Delaware won the first point, but lost the next thanks to a Trimble kill, giving the Panthers the lead in the best-of-five.
In game two, the Panthers had a 17-13 lead, but Delaware came back to knot the score at 19-19. The teams would trade points back and forth, with neither team gaining a lead of more than two. Trailing 26-25, Delaware went on a 3-0 run to to take a two-point edge. State cut it to a single point on a Blue Hen service error, but the Blue Hens took the next two points to win the game 30-27.
Game three would be looked at painfully in Georgia State history if the end result of the match wasn't so positive for the Panthers. State had only two kills for the game and zero assists, the first time in Georgia State history that the team has not recorded at least one assist in a game. The Panthers lost game three 30-12, and with the crowd out of the match, it seemed the Panthers would soon be as well.
But this was Senior Night, and Garcia and the Panthers made sure that Georgia State would stay alive in the race for the CAA Championships. The Panthers came back to lead 18-13 in the fourth frame, but State found themselves locked up in a tight one later when the Blue Hens came back to tie the score 22-all. State opened a 25-23 lead on a Trimble kills, but Delaware came back to tie at 25-all. The teams traded points, and with the score even at 26, a Blue Hen service error and an ace by Trimble gave the Panthers a 28-26 lead going into a timeout. Delaware scored the first point off the timeout, but a solo block by Leah Tenney gave the Panthers game point. Again, the front line defense would stand tall for the Panthers, as a block by Tenney and Trimble gave the Panthers game four 30-27 and evened the match at two games each.
The ultimate game looked like it would be a game where the Blue Hens would not be denied, as the visitors took a 7-3 lead. State responded with consecutive kills by Tenney, Trimble, and Ferreira. A Delaware ball handling error later, the final game was tied at 7-all. Delaware led as the teams swapped ends of the court, but kills by Ferreira and freshman Jocelyn Waldern gave State a 9-8 lead. Delaware came back again with two kills to retake the lead. Again, State would respond with a kill by Trimble and an ace for Thomas to regain the lead, 11-10. The Panthers would not trail again, but the score would be tied at 11-all, 12-all, and 13-all as the teams swapped points. With a kill by Tenney, State took a 14-13 lead and timeout was called by Delaware.
With the crowd rising for match point, Delaware asked for time a second timeout. Off the timeout, Marissa Levasseur's serve was passed back over the net. Freshman Noelle Boyd tried to attack the over-ball home for a kill, but the Blue Hens dug it up. An attack by Delaware was dug up by Garcia, and after a set by Boyd, Ferreira blasted a kill through the Blue Hen block. As the ball finally dropped softly to the floor, Garcia dropped to her knees and threw her arms up in exultation. The Panthers had come off the deck to win game five 15-13 and the match 3-2.
Ferreira had 14 kills and 12 digs for her double-double, while the sophomore Trimble had 16 kills and 10 digs. Garcia had a team-high 20 digs for the Panthers, giving her 1,585 for her career. Schaab also added 11 kills for the Panthers in the victory. Boyd had 44 assists for State from the setter spot.
Delaware was led by Kelly Gibson's 21 kills and 14 digs. Colleen Walsh had 17 kills, Michelle LaLonde had 16, and Heather Ranck had a match-high 26 digs. Megan Walsh had 61 assists while running the Delaware offense.
The Blue Hens seemingly dominated the match statistically, skewed strongly by game three. While Delaware had 14 more kils (73-59), five more digs (70-65), and 16 more assists (68-52), the Panthers had more service aces (12-7) and blocks (12.0-8.0). Trimble and Tenney each had four aces, as State scored just five fewer points than the Blue Hens (88.0-83.0).
The Panthers now stand at 6-9 in CAA play, currently seventh in the CAA. Winners of back-to-back matches, State will face Towson this Sunday at the Georgia State Sports Arena. Match time is set for 2:00 p.m.
