GULF SHORES, Ala. -- No. 18 Georgia State split a pair of matches in the first day of the March to May tournament Saturday afternoon at the Hangout in Gulf Shores.
In the morning meeting, GSU faced No. 3 LSU for the second time this season. Last weekend the Panthers were bested by the Tigers in Louisiana, despite staying competitive on each court. Today, GSU came out with conviction and ready to prove themselves, but the Sandy Panthers could not gain the momentum to take down the Tigers, falling 5-0.
Georgia State regrouped and squared off against host UAB in the second contest of the day. A few different pairs in Kate Novack and Kelly Dorn and Angel Ferary and Bella Ferary represented the blue and white during the contest. The Ferary sisters shined with their notable speed to take a straight set decision on court five and the first point of the dual.
"We knew that our game would be a very important one for our team," said Angel Ferary. "UAB is a very solid team and winning in the lower spots would help take pressure off the top flights. We just knew we had to play like we always do and to not let a single ball drop. Also, us having the opportunity to play together again really hyped us up!"
Maddie Gordon and Becky Tresham faced hard, scrappy opponents on line four. The pair would ultimately fall short, as the Blazers tied the match.
As the top three flights took the court, UAB quickly gained the lead with a straight set result on court two. The Panthers depended on the remaining pairs to take the team win. Novack and Dorn, who registered the most victories on the team last season, took care of business on court three to tie the match once again. With all eyes on court one, veterans Eden Hawes and Maddy Delmonte showed their grit and determination. Despite splitting action in the first two frames, the pair remained focused throughout a tight third set to propel the Sandy Panthers to victory.
After today's competition, Georgia State holds an 8-5 overall record and are 3-3 in CCSA action. The Sandy Panthers return to action tomorrow to battle No. 10 TCU and No. 20 Tulane both for the first time this season. Live stats will not be available, but fans can follow along via Periscope on our Twitter feed (@GSUBeachVB).
Complete Results:
No. 3 LSU 5, No. 18 Georgia State 0
Court 1: Taryn Kloth/Kristen Nuss (LSU) def. Eden Hawes/Maddy Delmonte (GSU): 21-15, 21-14
Court 2: Claire Coppola/Kelli Greene-Agnew (LSU) def. Olivia Stasevich/Mattie Johnson (GSU): 21-19, 13-21, 15-12
Court 3: Toni Rodriguez/Ashlyn Rasnick-Pope (LSU) vs. Meagan McCall/Bekah Brodbeck (GSU): 21-13, 21-9
Court 4: Jess Lansman/Sydney Moore (LSU) def. Kate Novack/Bella Ferary (GSU): 21-15, 21-15
Court 5: Olivia Ordonez/Kahlee York (LSU) def. Becky Tresham/Maddie Gordon (GSU): 21-12, 16-21, 15-4
Order of Finish: 4, 5, 1, 3, 2
#18 Georgia State 3, UAB 2
Court 1: Eden Hawes/Maddy Delmonte (GSU) def. Rachel Tam/Mikayla Law-Heese (UAB): 21-19, 14-21, 15-13
Court 2: Dylynn Otte/Emma Andraka (UAB) def. Olivia Stasevich/Mattie Johnson (GSU): 21-19, 22-20
Court 3: Kate Novack/Kelly Dorn (GSU) def. Annie Pringle/Jenna Gathright (UAB): 21-14, 21-15
Court 4: Salli Napolitano/Adriana Pereira (UAB) def. Becky Tresham/Maddie Gordon (GSU): 21-16, 21-19
Court 5: Angel Ferary/Bella Ferary (GSU) def. Sarah Dickson/Ella Alexander (UAB): 21-13, 21-19
Order of Finish: 5, 4, 2, 3, 1
