Wilmington, N.C.- Junior Jamiee Freeman posted her seventh double-double of the season with 14 kills and 11 digs to lead the Georgia State volleyball team (10-13, 4-2 CAA) to a three-set shutout (25-17, 25-23, 25-19) over UNC Wilmington (9-14, 2-4 CAA) Saturday in Colonial Athletic Association action at Hanover Gym.
The Panthers swept the season series against the Seahawks for a second consecutive year with the win and improved to 15-2 all-time against UNCW. Six of GSU's 10 wins this season have come in three-set shutouts.
The teams combined for 14 total aces Saturday, the most of any three-set GSU match this year. Andrea Noe led the Panthers with three aces.
Freeman's 14 kills were the second-highest output of her career. Vineece Verdun and Muki Kangwa, two of the CAA's leading scorers, had nine and seven kills, respectively on Saturday.
Back-to-back slams from Verdun gave the Panthers a 9-5 lead in the opening set. Later, Andrea Book and Noe combined for a block that gave GSU a 15-11 advantage. GSU would extend the lead to 21-15 on a spike from Freeman and won the set, 25-17, after a serve from Verdun went unreturned. Freeman and Verdun each posted four kills to lead GSU in the opener.
In the second set, the teams traded points until Freeman tied things, 10-10, on a spike through the middle. Later, Noe placed an ace on the line to cap a five-point run and make it 16-11, Panthers. After UNCW rallied to make it 18-18, Freeman ended the run with a kill. GSU would muscle its way to three set points and took advantage of a UNCW hitting error to claim the second frame, 25-23.
After a back-and-forth opening to the third set, GSU built a 12-9 advantage on a kill from Verdun. Later, Kangwa kept the Panthers in control by smacking a kill down the line for a 20-14 lead. Freeman forced the Seahawks into a timeout after a kill which made it 22-17, and GSU would not relent. The Panthers added kills from Freeman and Verdun to earn a 25-19 victory in the third set and clinch the match.
The Panthers remained in a tie for second in the CAA with the win, pulling even with Northeastern and Delaware, who entered the day at 4-2 in league play.
GSU continues its five-match road trip next weekend with conference matches at Delaware on Friday, and Towson on Saturday. The Panthers return to home action Oct. 28 against George Mason.
