WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
> Georgia State swept Georgia Southern (25-22, 25-21, 25-11) at the GSU Sports Arena.Â
> Freshman Erin Wyatt made her debut in a GSU uniform during the match.Â
> The Panthers will battle Georgia Southern again tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. in downtown Atlanta.Â
ATLANTA. -- Georgia State defeated conference foe Georgia Southern (25-22, 25-21, 25-11) Thursday evening. The win marks the first Sun Belt victory for the Panthers in 2020.Â
Georgia State's freshmen shined in the back row. Ava Vlkovic, in her first game as libero, accumulated 14 digs. Ally Thees and Erin Wyatt added seven and eight digs respectively. The freshmen's hustle continued to give Georgia State opportunities to stay in system throughout the match. Â
The Panthers and Eagles came out ready for a battle. Despite staying close, Georgia Southern continued to make unforced errors to return the serve to Georgia State. A big block from senior Cierra Sillmon would close the first frame 25-22.Â
Both teams came back out with the same intensity in the second frame. Despite being down by four midway through the set, Jordan Shoemaker spearheaded the offense. Shoemaker connected with freshman Clara Bednarek and seniors Meisheia Griffin and Dzemila Hadzic, which sparked the GSU offense and helped the Panthers close the gap. Ultimately, a heated GSU offense and more unforced errors from the Eagles granted GSU the second set win.Â
A block from Griffin, the Sun Belt block leader, ignited the Panthers in the third and final frame. The Panthers did not look back, ultimately cruising to victory behind a .357 hitting percentage to capture the sweep.Â
"I had an awesome time playing with my team tonight," said Vlkovic. "Our energy and determination really brought us together and gave us the win!"
The Panthers will battle Georgia Southern again tomorrow, Friday, Oct. 2, at 1:00 p.m. to close this week's action at the GSU Sports Arena.
Follow Georgia State on Instagram and Twitter (@GeorgiaStateVB)Â for more news and notes from Georgia State volleyball.
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