Seniors Ana Paula Ferreira and Amy Lusk combined for 29 kills and 16 digs as the Georgia State University volleyball team defeated Texas State Univesity 3-1 (30-27, 30-27, 28-30, 30-26) in the first match of the Mean Green Volleyball Classic, hosted by the University of North Texas.
"It was a very competitive match," said Panthers head coach Mike Webster, who saw his team improve to 4-2 on the season. "The most important thing for us in this match was how the team responded when they were down. We lost the third game, but came back and played hard to win the match."
A close match throughout, the first game saw Georgia State clinging to a one-point lead late at 26-25. After a timeout, the Panthers won the next three points in a row thanks to a kill by Ferreira and two attack errors by the Bobcats. Given a game point opportunity, Georgia State missed on the first two but took advantage of the third, as a Ferreira kill gave the Panthers game one 30-27.
Georgia State led 19-13 in the second frame, but Texas State (0-2) roared back with an 11-4 run to take the lead 24-23. The Bobcats would extend the lead to two at 27-25, and were just three points from winning the second game when the Panthers stopped them cold. After a timeout, a kill by Jocelyn Waldern (6'0" - middle hitter) pulled the Panthers within one. Back-to-back kills by Lusk gave Georgia State a 28-27 lead and forced TSU into a timeout. The run wouldn't end after the stoppage in play, as a Ferreira kill gave State a game point opportunity. The Panthers took advantage, as a TSU hitting error gave Georgia State a 30-27 win in the second game and capped a 5-0 run.
In the third game, TSU took seven of the first eight points to open up a 7-1 lead. The Panthers came back to tie the score at 10-all, but TSU never trailed and quickly pushed the lead to four. Down 27-24, the Panthers scored four of the next five to tie the score at 28-all, but a kill and an ace for the Bobcats gave them game two, 30-28.
The finale also almost went to Texas State, but Georgia State clawed its way to a victory. The Panthers were down 25-23, but a series of miscues allowed Georgia State to swipe the game. A service error brought the Panthers within a point, then a block by Ferreira and junior Michelle Trimble (6'0" - outside hitter) tied the game. Georgia State would continue the run, as a kill by Ferreira and two errors by TSU gave the Panthers a 28-25 lead. The Bobcats would score the next point, but State tallied the next two, as Lusk came through with a kill and a service ace to give Georgia State a 30-26 win in game four and a 3-1 win in the match.
Ferreira had a match-high 16 kills, while Lusk had 13. The two seniors tied freshman Emily Dewey (5'4" - outside hitter/libero) for the team lead in digs with eight. Sophomore Noelle Boyd (5'11" - setter) led all players with 39 assists, while Waldern had nine kills, a career-high six aces, and five total blocks.
Emily Jones led Texas State with 14 kills and a match-high seven total blocks.
The Panthers will return to action later this afternoon when they face Missouri-Kansas City. Match time is set for 5:30 p.m. EDT.
