MILLEDGEVILLE, GA. – West Virginia State Volleyball opened up their 2022 campaign with success, sweeping Georgia College in their season debut by scores of 25-11, 28-26, 25-22.

Junior transfer Diamond'Nique Young impressed in her WVSU inauguration, leading the way with 15 kills on a .500 hitting percentage, adding three blocks. Classmate Kiersten Eggleton also exhibited hot swinging, tallying 13 kills on a .545 efficiency. She posted her first double-double of the year with 19 digs.

Once again, the Yellow Jackets split up assisting duties, with senior Brooke Smith posting 19 and junior Peri Martin dishing out 17. Fellow third-year Alex Darby fell one ace shy of her career-best with six service aces, and also recorded 16 digs.

"It's a solid first win," Head Coach, and reigning Mountain East Conference Coach of the Year, Kris Kern said of opening day. "We played well most of the evening and fought off our inconsistent portions."

An opening stanza that featured four consecutive points for the Yellow Jackets early set the momentum for the duration of the set, giving State an early 8-3 advantage. The squad went on to secure six of the next seven points, including back-to-back service aces from Darby, to build a commanding 10-point lead at 14-4.

Another four points for WVSU helped secure the set as the trend continued. The Yellow Jackets cruised to the early 1-0 match lead, 25-11. Young debuted in style, hitting a perfect 1.000% efficiency on five kills. The Yellow Jackets as a whole hit at a nearly .400 clip, with just three attack errors.

The Bobcats responded in Set 2, controlling the early stages of the frame with a 7-6 lead. The two traded leads before State pulled ahead with some force thanks back-to-back slams from junior Natalie Beer and Young, going up 17-11. Georgia College pressured late in the set, tallying three straight points late to even the contest at 24-24 and force extra set points. The Bobcats then pulled ahead at 26-25 before a huge slam from Young pushed State back to a stalemate. Eggleton tallied the set point, and then teamed up with Young for the final point of the frame, a rejection for a 28-26 score and 2-0 match lead.

GC returned for the third set looking to keep threatening, taking early 6-3 and 8-4 advantages. WVSU picked up four straight points to even the contest at 8-4, and a game of cat-and-mouse ensued until an 8-1 run from the Yellow Jackets pushed the momentum and put State on top 23-20. A kill from Eggleton again brought WVSU to set point, sealing the match on a bad set from the Bobcats.

Beer finished with nine kills.

UP NEXT
WVSU returns to the court Saturday for the conclusion of the tournament, facing Southern Wesleyan at 10 am and Limestone in a 2 p.m. finale. Live stats are available for both neutral contests.