Shane Darling
10-4-2024
Aug. 30 was the last time that the Georgia Southern Volleyball Team lost a match, and Sept. 7 was the last time the Eagles lost a set. Now, 27 days later, the Eagles have won 11 games in a row and 25 consecutive sets. Saying this squad is on a run would be an understatement, they are on an Olympic sprint and are clearing every hurdle in front of them.
The Eagles defeated the Thundering Herd on Thursday, and they came right back and did it again on Friday evening. Georgia Southern’s record has now improved to 12-1, while Marshall remains above .500 at 9-8.
Marshall had the first set neck-and-neck, being tied at 22 with the serve. However, the Eagles won the next three points and never looked back, defeating the Herd by six in the second set and by seven in the third.
GSU’s main weapon is preseason All-Sun Belt sophomore outside hitter Reagan Barth, and she did not disappoint in the slightest. Barth had 39.2% of the Eagles’ kills with a staggering 20, doubling the next game-leader, GSU’s Paige Bowers. Not only that, but Barth held a game-high two service aces as well.
From a team standpoint, the Eagles outnumbered the Herd in just about every statistical category, having 12 more kills, 11 more assists, 16 more digs, and 2 more blocks, as they were clicking on all cylinders tonight.
Marshall’s sophomore outside hitter Sarah Wadsworth was able to overcome the Herd’s impressive opponent and had arguably her best performance of the season, tallying season-highs in kills and digs with 8 and 11, respectively. Senior setter Brynn Brown was able to notch another double-double for the Herd, bringing her to seven total on the year.
It is safe to say the Thundering Herd have hit a cold streak as they have dropped four in a row, but they have played two teams picked to finish in the top three of the Sun Belt East Division this year, not a small task to face to start conference play by any stretch of the imagination. The Herd look to bounce-back against a struggling James Madison University on Friday at 6 p.m., as the Dukes have lost five straight, with three of them coming against conference foes.