ATLANTA ? The Georgia State volleyball team rallied twice Friday night against Northeastern and three players recorded double-doubles, but it was not enough to secure the victory for the Panthers. The Huskies held on for a 3-2 win over the Panthers in Colonial Athletic Association action.
Northeastern (9-10, 1-1 CAA) opened the match on a 7-2 run, as Georgia State committed three errors during the sequence before calling a timeout. While the Panthers closed the gap, the Huskies maintained their lead throughout the opening game.
However, Georgia State battled back when Northeastern appeared on the verge of closing out the game. The Panthers reeled off five straight points to cut the deficit to 28-21 before the Huskies put the frame at game point with a kill from Kira Batura. State scored three more points before NU sealed the game on Lauren DeTurk's kill. During the 8-2 run, State registered three kills while capitalizing on five NU attacking errors.
Georgia State's strong finish to game one carried over into the second game, as the Panthers (10-8, 1-2 CAA) jumped out to a 5-0 lead. State maintained control of the game in the early goings, pushing its lead to six, 10-4, before NU called a timeout following a Noelle Boyd service ace. While the Huskies fought feverishly to stay in the game, the Panthers maintained their cool and extended their lead to eight, 17-9, after a kill from Emily Dewey.
Northeastern eventually tied the game at 18, but Georgia State answered the call and took a 20-18 lead after consecutive kills from Jocelyn Waldern and Michelle Trimble. While NU hung close, State put the frame at game point following Ana Paula Ferreira's kill. However, a block from Boyd and Waldern sealed the game-two victory for the Panthers.
“The change in the lineup seemed to give Northeastern problems in game two. Emily [Dewey] energized us on the outside,” said head coach Mike Webster. “The way we worked through things in game showed good spirit, as we battled back to reclaim the lead.”
Game three was similar to the first game, as the Huskies built an early lead before the Panthers battled back. NU jumped out to a 12-6 lead before State called its first timeout. Northeastern maintained control following the timeout, recording four straight points before Georgia State forced a side out off a kill from Amy Lusk. On the verge of closing out the game, NU held a 26-16 lead before State recorded four straight points ? three coming on kills from Lusk. Seeing the game almost slip away, NU called a timeout and closed out the game with a 30-25 win following Brianna Seitz's kill.
Like game two, the Panthers rallied late in game four. Trailing 7-3, State rallied to tie the game at nine off a kill from Ferreira. State tied the game at 18 later on a service ace from Marissa Levasseur. After falling behind, the Panthers tied it again at 25 off a Husky attacking error. Consecutive NU errors gave State the 30-28, forcing a decisive game five.
Georgia State opened game five with a solid effort, holding leads at 2-0, 6-5 and 7-6. However, Northeastern tied the game at seven following a block from Batura and Caitlin Tittl. The Huskies pushed ahead after taking the lead and closed the match with three straight points.
“We finished strong in the fourth game and got off to a good start in game five, but we were unable to overcome our own mistakes,” said Webster. “The match was within our reach and our own mistakes lost it for us.”
Ferreira led State with 19 kills and registered her ninth double-double of the season with 14 digs. Lusk had a 17-kill, 18-dig double-double; her ninth of the year. Boyd tallied her third double-double of the season with 52 assists and 14 digs. Levasseur, who switched to the libero spot after game one, recorded a season-high 19 digs.
Georgia State returns to action Sunday, Sept. 30, at 2 p.m. against defending CAA Tournament champion Hofstra.
