ATLANTA -- Georgia State senior Ashley Jones had 17 kills, 14 digs and four service aces as the Panther volleyball team closed out the UNC Wilmington Seahawks in a wild 70-point fourth set to claim the 3-1 (25-14, 24-26, 25-19, 36-34) victory.
The 70-point fourth set went back and forth the entire match with each team holding leads. The Panthers had the first crack at claiming the set at 25-24, but a kill by Kelli Clear tied it at 25 and sent it into overtime points. The two teams each held opportunities to close out the set but neither team wanted to concede. The Seahawks broke set point twice, while GSU broke it a remarkable eight times. GSU finally claimed victory after a Vineece Verdun kill tied the set at 34. A serve into the net gave Verdun the serve with a chance to close out the match. Just a few points earlier, Verdun had sent a crucial serve of her own into the net to give the Seahawks a 29-28 advantage. This time however, the Bloomfield Hills, Mich., native held serve and A. Jones pounded home a kill to give GSU the victory.
The set saw 19 tie scores and six lead changes, while GSU was able to overcome hitting .213 to the Seahawks' .323 to claim the set.
"This match was huge for us as a team and we were able to pull it out after that wild fourth set," said head coach Tami Audia. "I'm so proud of the girls for fighting back through eight set points to win it. We definitely put into action some of the things we worked on in practice this week. We have to come out next weekend and do it again."
The Panthers (12-12, 6-4 CAA) return to action next weekend for a crucial two-match homestand. GSU battles foes James Madison and George Mason in Friday and Sunday matches with CAA Tournament implications. UNC Willmington falls to 7-18 and 1-9 in the CAA. The Panthers are in sixth place with four losses, with a 7-4 team ahead of them who they hold a tie-breaker over, as well as a pair of three-loss teams.
A. Jones led the way for the Panthers with her 11th double-double of the season. Verdun had 19 kills and six total blocks, while Kangwa had her first double-double of the season with 15 kills, 12 digs and three service aces. Setter Chelsea Perry had her 10th double-double of the year and her seventh 50-plus assist night of the year with 52 assists and 11 digs. Redshirt-senior Audrey Cantrell and freshman Emily Averbeck each had 12 kills.
GSU came out in set one and cruised to the 25-14 victory. The Panthers hit .450 with Kangwa producing seven kills, while limiting the Seahawks to just a .095 hitting percentage. GSU also had four service aces in the set.
The Panthers had a chance to take set two as well, having led 24-22, but an attack error by Kangwa and two straight by Raquel Jones gave the Seahawks the set, 26-24, and tied the match at one heading into overtime.
Trailing in set three, 12-9, GSU mounted a rally that eventually saw it up by as much as five at 23-18. A kill by Verdun and a service ace by Averbeck gave the Panthers the 25-19 victory and put them up 2-1 heading into the wild fourth set.
