ATLANTA - After losing a tight first set to ACC opponent Clemson, Georgia State rallied to win the next three and beat the Tigers for the first time since 1978.
The Panthers (4-4) entered the match coming off a loss to UAB Tuesday night in their home opener, while the Tigers (4-3) were on a three match winning streak.
Georgia State hit .242 as a team, led by sophomore Dede Bohannon with 15 kills. Redshirt sophomore Kitan Ajanaku had 13 and sophomore Eliza Zachary had 12 on 24 attempts. Bohannon and senior Emily Averbeck each had 15 digs, while Averbeck came up with four service aces.
"This win was really a team effort," head coach Tami Audia said. "We hit very well as a team, had three players with double digit kills, and had a high hitting percentage. Those stats show that everyone attacked and really had a high level of effort."
Clemson took the first set of the match 25-22, after the two teams were tied 20-20. In the second set, Georgia State used two key blocks to scrape their way back into the set. This led to a 13-2 run for the Panthers, including three straight Averbeck aces. The Panthers won the second set 25-17.
"The run in the second set really lent us our momentum," Audia said. "You never want to be up in the second set and start to see your lead slip away. We held on and ended the second set on a postive note."
The third set continued to showcase the talents of both teams, and with the set coming down to the wire, Bohannon had a key kill to put the Panthers up 22-19. The next point was a long rally finished by junior Andrea' Ezell in strong fashion. Averbeck's fourth ace of the night gave the Panthers the third set and 2-1 lead going into the fourth set.
At 17-16 in the fourth, Natalie Nieto had a tricky kill that put the Panthers up by two. She followed that up with an ace. With the match coming down to the wire, Zachary connected on her kill to give the Panthers match point. After one point by Clemson, the Tigers succumbed to the Panthers on an error and gave GSU the fourth set and the win.
"This was a huge win for us," Audia said. "Clemson is a great ACC team. It gives us confidence that we can have a short turn around time and come out and play point for point. Clemson never let up and neither did we. I look forward to us continuing this type of play this weekend and the rest of the season."
The Panthers won't have much time to celebrate, as they host the GSU Invitational Friday and Saturday. They will play UCF tomorrow at 7 p.m. and Davidson (2 p.m.) and Buffalo (7:30 p.m.) on Saturday.
