What you need to know:
* Georgia State (4-14, 0-8 SBC) lost 3-1 Saturday night in Boone, N.C. to Appalachian State.
* The Panthers remain winless in conference play while the Mountaineers stay unbeaten.
* Georgia State got six or more kills from five different players, including freshman setter Sarah Renner. Deidra Bohannon and Kristina Stinson each had 10 kills to lead the team.
BOONE, N.C. – Georgia State's volleyball team got off to a hot start in chilly Boone, N.C. on Saturday, winning the first set against Appalachian State before falling in four sets, 22-25, 25-16, 25-15, 25-15.
“We came ready to play, but we were unable to maintain unforced errors throughout the match,” head coach Sally Polhamus said. “That's the next step we need to compete at our highest level.”
Georgia State (4-14, 0-8 SBC) used a varied offense, earning six or more kills from five players. Deidra Bohannon and Kristina Stinson led the way with 10 kills each and remain tied atop the team leaderboard in the category. Freshman Shae Chapman was a bright spot on offense and defense, finishing with 9 kills on .409 hitting and two blocks.
After falling behind 3-0 in the first set, Georgia State came back to go up 14-13. App State retook a 15-14 lead to take the match to a media timeout, but the Panthers took control from that point on. Seven kills from Bohannon along with six from Stinson led GSU to a 25-22. The Panthers outhit the Mountaineers .359-.231 in the first frame.
Georgia State and Appalachian State were even at 9-9 in the second set. This time it was App State that would take over, racing out to an 18-12 lead and not looking back. Using a 10-3 run, the Mountaineers would go on to win 25-16.
Appalachian State never trailed in the third set. The Panther defense struggled to slow down the Mountaineer offense and App State hit .448 in the set. Emily Corrigan and Ashton Gregory combined for 11 kills for the Mountaineers while GSU was held to 11 kills as a team.
Georgia State's defense was stronger in the fourth set as the Panthers held the Mountaineers to less than .200 hitting for much of the frame. Appalachian State took advantage of several GSU errors to lead 18-12. The Panthers were unable to mount a comeback and App State sealed the match with a 25-15 victory. The Mountaineers improved to 15-4 on the season and 8-0 in the conference.
Georgia State returns home to host six Sun Belt matches in a row beginning with UT Arlington and Appalachian State next Friday and Saturday. Both matches are scheduled for 6 p.m. starts.
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