By: KSU Sports Information Department
ATHENS, Ga. - Justine Young had a team-high nine kills as the Kennesaw State volleyball team fell, 3-0 (25-12, 25-18, 25-17) to Georgia at the Ramsey Student Center on Tuesday evening.
“We were short-handed due to injuries sustained in warm-up,” said Owls head coach Karen Weatherington. “Georgia came out very fired up and we did not match their intensity. We have to get everybody playing at the same time, with the same focus and desire in order to be a championship team.”
The Owls (3-5) dropped eight of the matches first 10 points and never recovered in the opening set. Still, KSU fought off three set points, and seemed to have fought off a fourth when, after originally whistling the Bulldogs for being out of rotation, the officials decided to change their minds and called a service error on the Owls to end the opening set.
The second set was more competitive for the Black and Gold, featuring three ties and two lead changes. Still, Georgia (3-4) used 15 kills compared to just three for Kennesaw State en route to a 25-18 win. The trend continued in the third set as Georgia held the Owls to a .053 attack percentage, taking the final set, 25-17.
Young’s nine kills paced the way for the Owls with Keyaira Stevenson following close behind with six. Alyssa Lang, who was limited to back row duties, still had a team-high seven digs, including five in the third set when she was KSU’s libero. Brittany Northcutt led Georgia with a match-high 13 kills.
Kennesaw State will be back in action on Friday evening when they host Eastern Kentucky at 7:00 p.m. in the second match of the 2011 Owls Classic at the KSU Convocation Center. Troy and UAB will meet in the opening match at 5:00 p.m.
