Volleyball continues season-long slump in the Bash at the Boro

Georgia State volleyball (5-11) has yet to overcome its slump as they traveled to Statesboro this weekend and left with a tournament record of 1-3. The Panthers played four matches over the course of three days in the Bash at the Boro held at Georgia Southern University. All was not lost in the weekend however, as the ladies were able to break their seven-game losing streak with a sweep of South Carolina State, and overall played some of their better volleyball this season Head Coach Tami Audia said, "We had better execution, but we still need our players to step up in big time game situations." In a tournament that hosted two teams that were a part of the NCAA tournament in 2010 [Ohio and Georgia Southern], the Panthers were facing tough contenders.   In their Thursday match, the Panthers dominated South Carolina State 25-22, 25-16, and 25-15. The lady Bulldogs (5-9) could not defend the balanced attack of the Panther frontline. Vineece Verdun, Muki Kangwa, Jamie Freeman, and Andrea Ezell combined for a total of 29 kills. Verdun led the pack with 12 kills. Georgia State did not just have success on the offensive side of the ball, but also defensively with a team total of six blocks. Ezell led that charge with three blocks of her own. Sophomore setter Kaylee McGrew earned a double-double in the match boasting 29 assists and 10 digs. The Panthers came into the second day at the Hanner Fieldhouse with momentum from their sweep, but were overpowered by Presbyterian (3-10). "We're at a point in the season where playing hard is not enough to win," said Audia. Georgia State fell 25-18, 27-25, and 25-21 in a three-set sweep by the Blue Hose. Each set was at one point very close, but Presbyterian was able to slowly pull away. The third set was tied at 20 all, but the Panthers could not trump the Blue Hose. The Panthers dropped their early Saturday match to Ohio (8-6) in a four game set (28-26, 25-21, 16-25, 27-25.) In the scrappy battle between the Panthers and the Bobcats there were 13 lead changes and 37 ties. The Panthers dropped the first two sets, but on the back of a Kangwa-Verdun attack were able to defeat the Bobcats 25-16. The fourth set was another back and forth contest in which the Panthers could not ultimately secure the win. In their match up against Georgia Southern (6-8), the Panthers fell in a four set match 22-25, 25-21, 25-21, and 25-16. Georgia State took the first set after they enjoyed a 16-7 lead that was quickly cut down to 24-22 after the Eagles rallied back. But Freeman gave the Panthers a kill to win the set. The following matches the Panthers had to play from behind, but could never gather enough momentum to win the next three sets. McGrew was selected to all-tournament with a total of 134 assists in three days. The Panthers are now ranked ninth overall in the CAA with a .313 win percentage. The next match up for the Panthers will be  at Kennesaw State for a 7:30 game on Tuesday, Sept. 20.