ATLANTA – Old Dominion volleyball came up short in its Sun Belt series opener at Georgia State, falling 3-1 to the Panthers on Friday night at the GSU Sports Arena.
“We left tonight’s match with a different vibe. Though we started the match with more of the same, we found a lineup that started to play with more authority and that was good to see. We have a quick turnaround and are looking to get back on the gas tomorrow,” said ODU head coach Fred Chao.
GSU 3, ODU 1
The Panthers (8-11, 2-5 Sun Belt) broke a 3-3 tie in the first set with five straight points, forcing an early timeout by the Monarchs (4-14, 0-7). ODU was unable to make any runs to get back into the set, and the hosts took the first set point, 25-17.
In the second set, a GSU service error and a Weronika Urbanska kill trimmed the Panthers’ lead to 8-6. The home team separated themselves with a 4-0 push as ODU took a timeout trailing, 12-6. Late in the set, Leilani Lawrence assisted Rita Benidio to cut the deficit to 20-18. GSU held off ODU’s comeback attempt, though, edging the Monarchs, 25-22 for a 2-0 lead in the match.
Kyra Hampton opened up the third set with a service ace. Kills by Emma DiRocco, Katie Rakoski, Taylor Motes, and Lawrence as well as an ace by Ashlyn Gent widened ODU’s lead, 8-2. Hampton put away a ball from Lawrence and served another ace to put the Monarchs up, 17-9. The Panthers had a late 4-0 run, but ODU got on the scoreboard with a 25-15 decision.
Rakoski scored a kill to give ODU a narrow 6-5 lead in the fourth set, but GSU outpaced the Monarchs, 8-1 to seize a 13-7 lead. Down 18-11, Rakoski scored two more kills to open a 4-0 run that trimmed the Panthers’ lead, 18-15. Old Dominion couldn’t pull even, however, as the home team held on for a 25-19 final.
Rakoski and Benidio scored 13 kills each to pace the Monarchs’ attack, while Hampton posted a new season high of 31 assists and a new career best with three service aces. Gent ended the night with 16 digs, and six different Monarchs recorded a block, led by DiRocco with three.
Both teams scored 50 kills, though the Monarchs were outhit, .263 to .150. ODU led GSU in aces (5-4) and digs (54-45), but the Panthers made more blocks (12-5). The match was tied nine times, including four in the fourth set, and there were only five lead changes.
Up Next
The Monarchs and Panthers will be back tomorrow for the second match in the series, which is set for a 2 p.m. start at the GSU Sports Arena.