Box Score BRUNSWICK, Ga.- The Coastal Georgia volleyball team (10-14(2-8)) fell 3-1 to Southeastern University (11-12(7-5)) on Wednesday night in the Coffin Gym.
Coastal Georgia took the first set 25-20 but then fell 25-19, 25-16 and 31-29. The fourth set was one of resilience by both teams, but the Fire took it in the end.
Freshman Paula Perez Rosales again recorded double-digit kills with 15 and added 11 digs to record her ninth double-double of the season.
Setter Rebecca Brown tied a career-high with 42 assists while she also recorded eight digs.
Elena Gkiourda and Natalia Willhelm Heguaburu combined for 31 digs and were in on almost every play throughout the match.
Sydney Martin and Chantiya Johnson both recorded nine kills and combined for 10 blocks.
Freshman Celina Keener continues her recent breakout performance as she notched six kills and five blocks. Keener has now recorded five blocks in three games this season.
The Fire was led offensively by Grace Petty and Emilia Harding who combined for 33 of the team's 61 kills. Setters Aly Postlethwaite and Emily Eurice controlled the offense, as they dished out 42 assists.
Holly Kaczmarek and Petty each recorded 17 digs as they held down the back line.
How It Happened:
SET 1: The Mariners got off to a quick 6-2 run to open up the game thanks to two kills by Chantiya Johnson and blocks by both Johnson and Sydney Martin. The Fire called a timeout with Coastal Georgia up 12-5 and came out of the timeout on a nice 5-2 run to cut into the deficit. However, the Mariners kept their composer and after back-to-back blocks by Martin and Johnson were able to secure the win. The Fire helped out Coastal Georgia with 14 total errors in the set.
SET 2: In the second set, the Mariners returned the favor in terms of errors. Eight errors allowed Southeastern to jump out to a 13-5 lead which they would not relinquish, as they took the set 25-19.
SET 3: Southeastern again jumped out to a big lead as they went on a 9-3 run to open up the set. Coastal Georgia tried to make a run but was countered by the Fire's own runs as Southeastern hit .237 percent in the set, the best of the game.
SET 4: This set was a dogfight until the end. Southeastern jumped out to an early 8-2 and looked like they were ready to cruise to their 11th win of the season, but the Mariners didn't let up. Coastal Georgia went on a 7-1 run to tie the game at 9. From there it was a back-and-forth battle before the Fire broke a 15-15 tie with an 8-3 run and were just one point away from the win. However, the Mariners broke up that run with a Celina Keener kill which allowed freshman Breanna Tanton to go behind the service line. Tanton's left-handed serve brought on six consecutive points which pushed the Mariners to within one point of forcing a fifth set. With the crowd on their feet and rocking the Howard Coffin Gym, Rebecca Brown delivered the 25th point for the Mariners on a sneaky attack to the front right side of the court. Southeastern was caught off guard and although they looked stunned, they regrouped quickly thanks to a Grace Petty kill to tie it up at 25. From there it was a clash of the titans as Southeastern's Baylee Warneke and Coastal Georgia's Paula Perez Rosales delivered clutch kills over the next five points and made it seem as if the duel could go on forever. However, at 29 all the Fire took the next two points to extinguish the Mariner's comeback despite their best efforts.
UP NEXT:
The Mariners will end their five-game homestand against Ave Maria on Saturday, Oct. 29 at 2 pm in the Coffin Gym.
