WILLIAMSBURG, Va. -- Leading 2-0, the Georgia State volleyball team held on against the William and Mary Tribe to claim the hard-fought 3-2 victory on Saturday night.
The Panthers improve to 11-12 overall, and 5-4 in the CAA, and return to action next Saturday when they host UNC Wilmington in a 5 p.m. match. The contest will be GSU's Think Pink match, and all fans are encouraged to wear pink. William and Mary falls to 9-12 overall, and 3-6 in the CAA.
Having dropped two-straight sets entering the fifth set, GSU trailed at the side change by one at 8-7. However, the Panthers wouldn't let the Tribe claim a big lead as the set went back and forth, with each team having match point twice. A Vineece Verdun kill tied the match at 14, while an attack error by Racquel Jones notched the score at 15. Trailing 16-15 and looking at match point once again, a clutch Ashley Jones' kill tied the set up. An attack error by the Tribe and a kill by senior Raquel Jones gave GSU the 3-2 victory.
The match was GSU's eighth five setter of the season.
Verdun led the way with 21 kills, four digs and five total blocks. Three Panthers had double-doubles including sophomore Jamiee Freeman (21 digs and 13 kills), Ashley Jones (13 kills and 12 digs) and junior Chelsea Perry (57 assists and 16 digs). Junior Muki Kangwa produced 12 kills, while senior Audrey Cantrell had 25 digs. The Tribe had two double-double players in Gina Lang (18 digs and 14 kills) and Erin Skipper (15 digs and 14 kills).
GSU overcame a 13-9 deficit and a 25-24 set-point situation, to claim set one, 29-27. A kill by Ashley Jones tied the score at 25 to keep the set alive for the Panthers. After trading points to get the set tied at 27, GSU's Muki Kangwa and Racquel Jones produced a crucial block to give the Panthers set point. With Ashley Jones serving, Freeman closed out the set with a kill.
After trailing early in set two, GSU tied the set at seven, and never looked back in a 25-18 victory. Five kills by Ashley Jones led the way, while a service error by the Tribe ended the set.
Facing a 2-0 deficit, host William and Mary rallied back in sets three and four, to tie the match at two and force a deciding fifth set. The Tribe claimed set three 25-21. Leading only 16-14, the Tribe scored three-straight points to push the lead to 19-14. After GSU scored a point to cut the lead to 19-15, the Tribe ran off four more points to make it 23-15. After a service error by A. Jones made it set point at 24-17, the Panthers rallied to cut the lead to 24-21 on the strength of three Kangwa kills. However, a Lang gave the Tribe the third-set victory.
The Tribe controlled set four from the beginning, taking a 11-4 lead before notching the match at two and sending it to a deciding fifth set on a Ginny Bray block.
