MACON, Ga. — The Georgia State volleyball team (6-5, 0-0 SBC) split a pair of matches Friday at Hawkins Arena, sweeping Charleston Southern 3-0 before falling in straight sets to Mercer later in the day.
The Panthers hit a scorching .400 as a team against Charleston Southern, paced by a double-double from Sophia Johnson, who finished with 15 kills and 10 digs. Akira Burt added 10 kills, Sigrun Jonsdottir chipped in 14 digs, and Jayden Eaker was dominant at the net with six blocks. In the nightcap against Mercer, Burt led the attack with 10 kills, Mina Olgar paced the team with two aces, Jonsdottir added nine digs, and Dariana Valencia ran the offense with a team-high 15 assists.
Georgia State (3) vs. Charleston Southern (0)
SET 1 | The Panthers opened up an early, winning the first set 25-21. Georgia State never trailed by more than five points and grabbed the advantage for good at 21-20 in a set that had just one lead change before the Panthers took over in the second half of the stanza.
SET 2 | Georgia State put themselves on the cusp of a sweep with a 25-12 victory in set number two. The Panthers took control of the set lead early on at 2-1 and never looked back. Georgia State opened its biggest lead of the stanza of13 points, to finish off the set, collecting 16 kills while only committing one attack error along the way. Georgia State's front row had a solid defensive performance, blocking four Charleston Southern attacks in the stanza.
SET 3 | Georgia State then sealed the sweep with a victory in set three. The Panthers led from the first point on in the set to earn a 25-15 victory. Georgia State ended on a high note, claiming its biggest lead of10 points, to finish off the set, collecting 16 kills in the process.
Mercer (3) vs. Georgia State (0)
SET 1 | The Panthers dropped a back-and-forth first set, losing 26-24 in a game that featured seven lead changes and was tied 12 times. Neither team led by more than four points in the match.
SET 2 | A 25-15 second-set loss put Georgia State in a 2-0 hole in the match. The Panthers dropped the first point and fought from behind the rest of the way before dropping the set.
SET 3 | Mercer finished off the sweep with a third-set victory. The Panthers fell behind on the first point and fought the rest of the way before falling in the set 25-20.
Game Notes
» Georgia State had three players in double figures in digs against Charleston Southern.
» Georgia State attackers combined to hit .400 in the match against Charleston Southern.
» Sophia Johnson had a match-high two aces against Charleston Southern.
» Jayden Eaker had a match-high six blocks against Charleston Southern.
» Sophia Johnson registered a double-double with 15 kills and 10 digs against Charleston Southern.
» Georgia State never trailed on the way to winning the third set against Charleston Southern, 25-15.
» Georgia State got a match-high 14 digs from Sigrun Jonsdottir against Charleston Southern.
» Georgia State attackers were helped by a match-high 23 assists from Dariana Valencia against Charleston Southern.
» Mina Olgar had a team-high two aces against Mercer.
» Akira Burt had a team-high 10 kills against Mercer.
» Georgia State got a team-high nine digs from Sigrun Jonsdottir against Mercer.
» Georgia State attackers were helped by a team-high 15 assists from Dariana Valencia against Mercer.
Up Next
Georgia State continues action at the Mercer Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 19, taking on Montana State at 11 a.m. in Macon, Ga.
