WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

> Coastal Carolina topped Georgia State in the series finale Saturday afternoon.

> Georgia State drops to 2-9 overall record including a 1-8 note in Sun Belt play.

> The Panthers will face the Mountaineers in a doubleheader Saturday. First serve is slated for 11:00 a.m. 

BOONE, N.C.-- Appalachian State defeated Georgia State 3-1 (25-15, 25-18, 20-25, 28-26 ) Friday evening. The outing marked the first part of a three-game series between the two conference foes this weekend.

Jordan Shoemaker continued to guide the GSU offense, dishing out 38 assists. This marked the sixth-time the Florida native has recorded 20-plus sets in  a match this season. As a result, Clara Bednarek (13), Meisheia Griffin (12), and Leah Wilcox (10) all notched double-digit kills in the outing.

In the back row, freshman Ava Vlkovic led the way with a career-high 27 digs. Tonight's efforts pushed the Georgia native past the 100 (119) dig mark on the season. She is the first Panther to hit the impressive mark this season. 

Both SBC squads started play with a slough of unforced errors, especially from behind the service line. Despite struggling in the beginning, Appalachian State was the first team to settle into the evening's match. The Mountaineers controlled play by  dishing out sets to various veteran hitters and keeping Georgia State out of system. GSU could not find an answer to slow the Mountaineers, as Appalachian State cruised to victories in the opening two frames. 

Looking to avoid the sweep, Georgia State jumped to a 5-0 lead to open the third behind consecutive kills by Bednarek.  The Panthers kept their momentum, despite late efforts by the Mountaineers. The GSU defense stayed relentless, giving Shoemaker ample opportunities to spread the offensive production. GSU closed the third frame victory with an additional kill by Bednarek. 

The beginning of the fourth mirrored the third, as GSU maintained their energy. This time Appalachian State found ways to slow down the GSU hitting production with aggressive kills from their own side of the net. Mid-frame it appeared as if the Mountaineers would cruise to victory, but two four-point scoring runs by the Panthers kept the young squad in play. With the frame knotted at 24, Appalachian State survived three match points to eventually outlast GSU 28-26 to clinch the win. 

Tomorrow, the Panthers will remain in Boone, N.C. for parts two and three of the weekend series. Action begins at 11:00 a.m. Fans can follow along via ESPN+ and live stats.   

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