What you need to know:
*GSU dropped a close match to South Alabama 3-1 Friday evening at the GSU Sports Arena.
* Freshman Lauren Bandera notched a career high 25 digs and Sarah Renner added 33 assists.
*The Panthers face Troy tomorrow at 6:30 pm in downtown Atlanta.
ATLANTA, GA.- Georgia State fell in a close 3-1 match Friday night to conference rival South Alabama at the GSU Sports Arena. The Panthers lost the three sets by just a combined seven points, and matched South Alabama's point total on the night.
The loss came despite holding the Jaguars to a .109 hitting percentage. Freshman Lauren Bandera recorded a career high 25 digs, while Sydney Stroud delivered four blocks to bolster the Panther defense.
The first set was a back and forth affair with multiple lead changes. Despite holding South Alabama to just .114 hitting the Panthers dropped the opening frame 25-23. Senior Carley Eiken dished out 11 assists in the first stanza, four to Crystal Lee.
The Jaguars rattled off seven straight points early in the second set to jump out to an 8-3 lead, but the Panthers would answer with a 5-0 run to tie the frame 8-8. The set would remain tight, but South Alabama would eventually take another 25-23 win.
The Panthers would bounce back for a win in the third. Shae Chapman would put down six kills (.833) and add a block, while Bandera recorded 10 digs holding South Alabama to just .056 hitting in the set. Renner dished out 10 assists to five different Panthers in the 25-18 victory.
Senior Sarah Renner sent 33 assists to her hitters in just three sets of play. The offense was distributed evenly as Crystal Lee (12), Sydney Stroud (12, .381 hitting percentage), and Shae Chapman (10) all recorded double digit kills on the evening. Meisheia Griffin added eight kills hitting .312 in the match.
Georgia State will look for a return to the win column tomorrow night as they take on Troy at 6:30. The Panthers defeated the Trojans 3-2 in Troy in late September.
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