What you need to know:
* Georgia State's season ended Friday with two losses at the AVCA National Championships in Gulf Shores, Ala.
* The Panthers end the season with a program-best 18-3 record.
* GSU's top pair of Jansen Button and Sara Olivova will compete Sunday in the Pairs Championships.
GULF SHORES, Ala. – Competing in its first AVCA National Championships, Georgia State's sand volleyball team was eliminated Friday after losses to defending-champion Pepperdine and Stetson. Sara Olivova and Jansen Button will compete in the Pairs Championships on Sunday.
I'm really proud of how far we have come as a team. The belief we are starting to have in ourselves and in our ability is the reason for the heartbreak. We know we are capable of more and that is such a big life lesson for these ladies,” head coach Beth Van Fleet said. “This feeling is the fuel for the offseason.”
Game 1
No. 5 seed Georgia State faced No. 4 seed Pepperdine in the opening round of the tournament and was defeated 5-0. The Panthers were competitive in every flight, but had trouble closing out the Waves. GSU's No. 1 pair of Sara Olivova and Jansen Button fell 21-16, 21-13 while Majda Dostalova and Milani Pickering lost 21-14, 21-14 in the second flight. Kate Rawls and Nina Interwies were tied late in Set 1 on Court 3, but the Waves went on a run to take the first game 21-18 before winning the match in two sets. On Court 4, Alexis Townsend and Jessica Fourspring took their opponents to three sets before falling 15-13. Delaney Rohan and Natalie Wilson also had the advantage on Court 5, but the Waves went on to come from behind in both sets to win 24-22, 21-15.
Game 2
In the second match of the day for Georgia State, the Panthers took on No. 8 seed Stetson in the first round of the consolation bracket. Rawls and Interwies were the first to finish with a decisive 21-16, 21-12. Stetson evened the score with a straight-set win on Court 1. Georgia State won the first set on Courts 2 and 4, but fell in the first set on Court 5. Dostalova and Pickering sealed the deal in Set 2 to put the Panthers on top 2-1, but Stetson rallied to force a third set in the fourth flight. At No. 5, Rohan and Wilson came back to win the second set and extend their match as well. Needing to win the third set on both Courts 4 and 5, Stetson did just that taking No. 4 13-21, 23-21, 15-6 and No. 5 21-19, 10-21, 15-9 to win the contest 3-2 and eliminate GSU.
Pairs Championships
As the top pair for Georgia State, Sara Olivova and Jansen Button earned an automatic bid to the 2015 AVCA Pairs Championships on Sunday. The duo will find out their opponent and match time Saturday evening.
Georgia State won a program-record 18 matches in 2015 and ends the season with just three losses.
CBS Sports Network will televise portions of the competition in a special broadcast that will premiere on Saturday, May 23 at 1 p.m. ET.
Follow along with Georgia State on Twitter (@GSUSandVB) for the latest news.
