Panthers secure 5-set win over JMU

ATLANTA, GA –The Georgia State volleyball team defeated the JMU Dukes 3-2 (20-25, 28-26, 22-25, 25-16, 15-11) at home at GSU Sports Arena on Friday.

The win improved the Panthers' record to 10-5 overall and 1-2 in Sun Belt play.

The Panthers were led by a double-double Alessia Cappaiwho recorded 16 kills and 19 digs on the day. Keionna MacKey also added 21 kills to help the offense. At the defensive end Kaleigh Fitzgerald With 18 digs to go, four blocks to go, threw in a chip Kayla Broom.

Game notes

» Georgia State had three players with double-digit kills.
» Georgia State had three players score in double figures in digs.
» Kaleigh Fitzgerald had a team-high two aces in the win.
» Alessia Cappai recorded a double-double with 16 kills and 19 digs
» Georgia State never trailed en route to winning the fourth set 15-11.
» Keionna MacKey had the highest scoring rate with 21 kills for Georgia State.
» Georgia State recorded a team-high 19 digs Alessia Cappai.
» The attackers from the US state of Georgia had a game-best 35 assists Shanelle Martinez.

How it happened

SET 1 | The Panthers lost the first set 25-20 despite a solid offensive performance. Georgia State posted a .306 attack percentage with 17 kills in the set loss.

SET 2 | Georgia State battled back after losing the first set to win the second set 28-26 and tie the game at 1-1. Thanks to a strong performance on the attacking side, the Panthers secured the set. Georgia State posted a .342 attack percentage with 19 kills in the set win. After the lead changed five times, the Panthers finally took control at 27:26 and used that lead to win.

SET 3 | JMU took a 2-1 lead in this game after defeating the Panthers in the third set. The Panthers couldn't hold on in a back-and-forth duel, losing 25-22 in a set that featured three lead changes and ended in a tie nine times. Neither team had a lead of more than four points.

SET 4 | Georgia State then responded, taking the fourth set 25-16 to force a fifth set. The Panthers took the lead for good, 7-6, in a set that saw only one lead change before the Panthers took the lead. Georgia State had a solid defensive performance in the front row, holding off four JMU attacks in the stanza.

SET 5 | Trailing by two sets to one, Georgia State pulled ahead again and won the final two sets, culminating in a 15-11 win in the fifth set to win the game 3-2. The Panthers scored first and never trailed in the fifth set to secure the victory. Georgia State finished on a high note, building its largest lead of the game by four points to end the set, collecting 12 kills in the process.

The Panthers will next face JMU on Saturday, October 5th at 2:00 p.m