ATLANTA- Down to just eight healthy players after a rash of injuries, the Georgia State volleyball team (4-4) had 52 assists from Kaylee McGrew and built a two-set lead but fell to Troy (6-2) in five sets (17-25, 23-25, 31-29, 25-21, 15-12) Tuesday night at the GSU Sports Arena.
Muki Kangwa had 25 kills and 18 digs for GSU while Jamiee Freeman added 19 kills and 25 digs but the Panthers could not take advantage of four match points in the contest's third set.
Nevena Peeva set a career high with 34 digs in the loss, helping to replace the absence of injured defensive specialist Emily Averbeck. Colonial Athletic Association Preseason Player of the Year Vineece Verdun has also been sidelined with an ankle injury, while Andrea Noe and Mirjam Pfyl are also hurt.
Tuesday's loss was the second five-set defeat for GSU in four days as the Panthers have played 18 sets of volleyball since Friday.
Georgia State came out swinging Tuesday against the Trojans, building a 10-point cushion in the first frame en route to a 25-17 first-set win. Freeman started hot with six kills to pace GSU.
In a back and forth second set, the Panthers broke a 14-all tie on a Trojan service error and never relinquished their slim lead in winning 25-23 to take a two-set advantage. McGrew racked up 15 of her career-high 52 assists in the game.
The Panthers once more took a healthy lead in the third set, jumping in front 16-9 after a block by McGrew and Andrea Book. Later, the Panthers came within one point of winning the match after taking a 24-21 advantage on a Kangwa kill. GSU could not capitalize however, dropping each of the next four points on attacking errors and Trojan kills. The Panthers later climbed back in front, 27-26, but would lose five of the next seven points in dropping the set, 31-29.
Georgia State posted a 16-13 lead in the fourth set, but Troy reeled off five straight points to jump in front and took the game, 25-21, on a kill by Natasha Kolunija, drawing the match even.
Loren Byerly, Freeman and Kangwa powered GSU to an 8-3 fifth-set lead, but once again, the Trojans rallied with an eight-point run to go ahead, 11-8. GSU would later stave off one match point at 14-11, but Kangwa's next attack sailed into the net to give Troy a 15-12 final-set victory to claim the match.
It is the Panthers' third-straight loss on the season as the Trojans earned their sixth-straight triumph. Of GSU's four losses this year, each has gone at least four sets.
Georgia State returns to the road this weekend when it travels to the University of Wyoming Cowgirl classic. GSU will take on Idaho State, Illinois State and host Wyoming, with action beginning Friday at noon eastern against the ISU Bengals.
