By: by Jason Hanes
ATLANTA - Asjia Stokes had 19 kills while Holly Knight had six blocks as the Kennesaw State volleyball team fell 3-1 (25-23, 23-25, 25-23, 25-20) to Georgia State Tuesday night at the Georgia State Sports Arena.
"I thought we competed very well," said KSU head coach Karen Weatherington. "We showed up ready to play hard. Georgia State has a fast, precise offense. This was a great test for us before we head to Nashville to play Belmont and Lipscomb this weekend."
Unlike previous years when the Owls had been blown out of the match, KSU was in every set against the Panthers. Taking a set for the first time from Georgia State, the Owls came close to winning each of the first three sets.
KSU trailed the first set 23-19 before a 3-0 run got the Owls back within a point. GSU earned two set point tries after a kill, but the Owls fought back to thwart the first attempt with a kill by Sabrita Gulley. It wouldn't be enough, as a kill by the Panthers ended the first set in favor of the home team, 25-23.
In the second set, the Owls were down again 23-19 until Knight, Stokes, and Bianca Rucker decided to throw a block party at GSU's expense. A kill by Gulley gave KSU the serve, and Knight made sure the Owls kept it with a block. Knight teamed with Stokes for a block after a GSU timeout to bring the Owls within a point, then Rucker joined Knight to do the deed again to tie the score, 23-23. An attack error by the Panthers gave KSU a set point chance, and the Black and Gold got the job done up front. Knight and Stokes combined for the final block, giving the Owls the set, 25-23.
The Owls led 10-5 in set three, but GSU came back to eventually tie the set in the latter stages. Tied 21-all, consecutive aces by the Panthers gave the home team a two-point lead. While Stokes would get two kills late in the set - with one fighting off a set point - a service error by the Owls would hand the set to the Panthers, 25-23.
In the final frame, GSU led 23-17, but the Owls showed their resolve. Kills by Stokes and Ginny Frederick brought the Owls within four, and an attack error by the home team made the score 23-20. That would be as close as the Owls got, as Muki Kangwa earned kills on the final two points of the match, giving GSU a 25-20 win in the set.
Stokes led all attackers with 19 kills and a .417 attack percentage, while Gulley added 14 for the Owls. Selina O'Leary led KSU's back-row defense with 17 digs, while Gulley had 12 and Chelsey Denesha had 10. Knight's six total blocks were backed up by Churchwell's five and three each for Stokes and Frederick.
Ashley Jones had 16 kills for the Panthers, posting a double-double with 21 assists. Vineece Verdun had 15 kills, while Kangwa had 14.
The match was moved twice, first from the KSU Convocation Center and second from North Cobb High School. With Cobb County schools closed on Tuesday due to flooding, the match was then moved to Georgia State.
"We are very happy that Georgia State was willing to host," said Coach Weatherington. "Georgia State has been a class act through this ordeal."
The Owls will be back in action this weekend, traveling to Nashville to face Belmont this Friday night.
