HARRISONBURG, Va. -- Despite a career high 22 kills by junior Muki Kangwa, the Georgia State volleyball team fell in another tough five-set heartbreaker, this time to the James Madison Dukes on Saturday night, 3-2 (25-19, 20-25, 22-25, 25-21, 19-17).
The fifth set proved to be as close as the previous sets, with JMU taking an 8-7 lead at the side change. However, the set didn't really begin until the two teams were tied at 14. JMU tried to claim victory at 15, 16 and 17, but the Panthers held the Dukes off from getting the needed two point lead. Tied at 17, a kill and a service ace by the Dukes (15-4, 4-1 CAA) gave them the hard fought 3-2 win.
The match marked the Panthers (9-10, 3-2 CAA) seventh five-set match of the year as GSU has gone 3-4 in the five setters. The Panthers are now 1-3 when tied after two sets in a five set match, while 2-0 after being down 2-0 and 0-1 when being up 2-0.
Kangwa had a career high 22 kills and a .500 attack percentage, to go along with four total blocks to pace the Panthers. Verdun produced 19 kills with a .350 attack percentage and seven total blocks. Senior Ashley Jones had another double-double with 17 digs and 11 kills, while junior Chelsea Perry broke her career high in assists for the second time this season with 59, to go along with 13 digs. Seeing her first significant action in a GSU uniform, redshirt sophomore Mirjam Pfyl put down seven kills, including several key points in the third set.
The match saw 34 tie scores and 13 lead changes.
The Panthers came out firing in set one. taking an early 6-2 lead behind three kills from Verdun. The Dukes battled back to trim the lead to 6-5 and the two teams traded points to get the score to 11 up. From there, JMU scored four straight points to take a 15-11 lead. GSU rallied to push to within one point at 16-15, and the two teams stayed close with GSU triming the lead to one at 19-18 on an A. Jones kill. However, JMU ran off five straight points on the strength of two kills and a block from Danielle Erb, to make it set point at 24-18. Erb finished off the Panthers with another kill as the Dukes claimed set one, 25-19.
GSU recovered from a close set one by leading virtually throughout the entire second set winning, 25-20. After tying the score at seven, the Panthers controlled much of the remainder of the set. The Dukes forced a tie at 18, but the Panthers scored seven of the remaining nine points in the set to knot the match at one. Kangwa had a pair of kills and a block to help pace GSU during the final six points. The Fort Myers, Fla., native had six kills during the set, including halting several JMU runs that gave the Panthers the sideout and the serve.
Set three mirrored set two as the Panthers overcame an early deficit to claim the lead for much of the rest of the set winning, 25-22, to take a 2-1 lead in the match. Leading 16-15, GSU ran off four points to claim a 20-15 advantage. Enjoying a 24-22 advantage, a service error by Kelly Turner gave GSU the win. Verdun and Kangwa each gave GSU five kills in the set to pace the Panthers.
The fourth set was a tale of two halves so to speak as GSU led up until 15-14, but could not hold on as JMU tied the set and pushed ahead eventually claiming the 25-21 victory to force a deciding fifth set. The Dukes' Holly Wall had three straight kills from 22-24 points and served the final point to help JMU close out the set.
The Panthers will return to action on Friday night when Hofstra travels to the GSU Sports Arena. First serve is set for 7 p.m. and admission to the Sports Arena is free of charge.
