What you need to know:
* No. 10 Georgia State (2-0) beat Mercer 4-1 and Jacksonville 4-1 to open the season at the Carolina Classic in Columbia, S.C.
* The Panthers are also competing in a pairs competition that will wrap up on Sunday.
* Georgia State hosts the Diggin' Duals event on Wednesday at the GSU Sand Courts.
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Ranked No. 10 in the AVCA preseason poll, Georgia State's sand volleyball team got the 2015 season off to a strong start Saturday, beating Mercer and Jacksonville at the Carolina Classic in Columbia, S.C.
"Today was an excellent way to start off the season," junior Milani Pickering said. " We still have room to grow so we can start sweeping teams, but the support everyone gave each other today was amazing."
The Panthers (2-0) faced Mercer in the season opener and won 4-1. The top returning pair of Sara Olivova and Jansen Button fell in three sets at No. 1, but the panthers picked up wins from Kate Rawls and Sarah Agnew at No. 2, Pickering and Majda Dostalova at No. 3, Delaney Rohan and Natalie Wilson at No. 4 and Jessica Fourspring and Nina Interwies at No. 5. All four of GSU's points came off straight-set sweeps. It was the first action for newcomers Dostalova and Interwies.
In the second match of the day, the Panthers dropped Jacksonville 4-1. Agnew and Rawls moved up to the No. 1 spot and beat JU's Kelly Koop and Mayara Prestes 21-11, 21-15. Olivova and Button once again went to three sets, but lost 15-9 in Set 3. The Panthers didn't drop a set at Nos. 3, 4 or 5. Georgia State is now a combined 9-0 versus Mercer and Jacksonville.
Georgia State had teams competing in the pairs competition as well. Agnew and Rawls won their first round match in the Gold Bracket and advanced to compete again on Sunday. Fourspring and Interwies beat a South Carolina duo to advance in the Silver Bracket and will be joined by Smestad and Elmurr who beat a ULM pair 21-14, 23-21.
Gold Bracket – First Round
Sarah Agnew/Katelyn Rawls (GSU) def. Sarah Blomgren/Jade Vitt (SC) 21-15, 21-13
Marcela Araya/Michelle McNamee (ULM) def. Magdalena Dostalova/Milani Pickering (GSU) 17-21, 24-22, 15-8
Silver Bracket – First Round
Jessica Fourspring/Nina Interwies (GSU) def. Erin Neuenfeldt/Litsa Darby (SC) 21-19, 21-11
Molly Smestad/Alexis Elmurr (GSU) def. Bayleigh Hoffman/Hadley Swartz (ULM) 21-14, 23-21
Follow along with Georgia State on Twitter (@GSUSandVB) for the latest news.
