Appalachian State 3, Georgia Southern 0

STATESBORO, GA. ? Appalachian State volleyball kept its hot streak alive on Friday, as the team hit .321 and stuffed 15 Georgia Southern attacks on the way to a 3-0 win, 30-28, 30-27, and 30-15. Carla Durham led the way with 14 kills and nine blocks.

The Mountaineers rallied from a 21-16 deficit in the first game, the closest of the three sets. The squad was buoyed by Dianna Thomas' seven kills in the game in just fifteen attempts. Thomas posted 11 kills, seven digs, and a .320 hitting percentage on the night. She and Durham combined for the game-winning block in game one. The teams tied for the last time at 28 points apiece before ASU broke the tie to win the opener.

Game two was again close, as GSU fought off three game points before a service error gave Appalachian the win. Both teams made seven such errors in the match. The Apps converted four service aces in the match, compared to five for the Eagles. Durham led the team with five kills and three blocks in the game, while Caroline Sedon added three of her four stuffs. Sedon also contributed three kills and an assist in the winning effort.

Durham and Lorelle Rau each made three blocks in the third, as Appalachian was dominant in the final game. Rau finished the contest with five blocks, 39 assists, and three kills. Brittany Zahn connected with four of her 14 kills in the set. Heather Kale led the team with 12 digs, with two coming in the third game. The Apps won the final seven points of the 30-15 decision, with the final three points coming on blocks for the visitors. GSU scored two or more consecutive points in the final game of Friday’s match.

The three-game winning streak is the longest of the season for the Mountaineers. Appalachian is now 6-3 in SoCon play, and 9-12 on the season.

ASU returns home next week to host non-conference foe East Tennessee State on Wednesday. The match is set to begin at 7 p.m. at the Holmes Center.