The App State volleyball team fell short to Georgia State, 3-2 (17-25, 19-25, 25-17, 25-23, 15-12) in Friday’s Pink Day match.

Three Mountaineers posted double-digit kills, with fifth year senior McCall Denny recording her 26th career double-double (14 kills, 14 digs). Junior Lulu Ambrose recorded 12 kills as well as her first ace of the season, while freshman Delanie Grevengoed tallied 11 kills and two blocks. Redshirt freshman Katie Cruise recorded a double-double of her own with a team high 21 assists and 12 digs. Senior Sophie Cain posted 18 assists as well as a team high two aces. In the digs category, sophomore Kenady Roper led the team with 17 on the night. Junior Lauren Pledger tallied a team high five blocks (one solo, four assists).

App State outpaced Georgia State in kills (55-50), assists (44-41), and digs (73-70). The Mountaineers and Panthers recorded eight blocks apiece.

The Black and Gold took a 5-3 lead in the first set after kills from Grevengoed, freshman Ava Leahy, and Denny. Georgia State broke a 7-7 tie to take a 14-10 lead. A Grevengoed kill, Cain ace, and Panther error brought App State within one of GSU’s lead (14-13). The Mountaineers gained momentum with a 7-0 run that included a trio of consecutive kills from Ambrose, to take a 20-15 lead. Kills from Ambrose and Roper closed out the first set for App State, 25-17.

App State jumped to an early 4-0 lead in the second set. Georgia State chipped away at the Mountaineers’ lead but back-to-back kills from Grevengoed and sophomore Maya Winterhoff and a solo block from Winterhoff extended App State’s lead to 16-10. The Panthers closed the deficit to 19-17, which App State answered with kills from Leahy and Grevengoed as well as an ace from Cruise that pulled the Mountaineers ahead 22-17. Pledger slammed down a kill to bring App State to set point. App State took the second set, 25-19, after a Georgia State error.

Georgia State went on a 4-0 run to kick off the third set. App State tied things up at 11 all after a pair of Grevengoed kills. A kill from Ambrose brought the Mountaineers within one of Georgia State’s lead at 15-14. Georgia State continued to extend the deficit until it led, 24-16 after a 5-0 run. Grevengoed held the Panthers to set point with a kill, but it wasn’t enough, as Georgia State took the set 25-17.

In the fourth set, Georgia State took a 5-0 lead. Back-to-back kills from Denny brought App State within two of the Panthers’ early lead. A block from Leahy/Pledger and solo block from Pledger brought App State back within one (18-17). A kill from Grevengoed, block from Pledger/Grevengoed, and Ambrose ace tied things up at 20 all. App State kept pace, tying things back up at 23 all after a kill from Denny and Panthers error. Georgia State took set four, 25-23.

In the fifth and final set, a Denny kill put App State up early (2-1). Georgia State took an 8-6 lead despite a kill from Leahy and block from Pledger/Leahy. The Panthers jumped ahead, 12-7, but App State kept fighting, posting a 3-0 to come within two (14-12). Georgia State took the fifth set, 15-12, and match, 3-2.