Hofstra University Athletics

AUGUST LEADS HOFSTRA TO WIN OVER GEORGIA STATE

11/7/2009 1:00:00 AM

Hempstead, NY - Junior setter Rachel August had her first double-double of the season with 44 assists and 12 digs as the Hofstra Volleyball team rolled past Georgia State in four sets on Friday evening at the Physical Fitness Center. It was the first start of the year at setter for August, who established a new career-high in assists and tied her season-high in digs in the match.

Senior outside hitter Monica Knight had a strong match for the Pride as she slammed down a match-high 22 kills and added 14 digs for her 16th double-double this season.

Set scores were 26-24, 21-25, 25-20 and 25-21 in favor of the Pride, which improved to 11-18 overall and 5-6 in Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) play with the victory. Georgia State dropped to 16-11 and 3-8 with the loss.

A tight first saw the two teams tied throughout, including several times late in the stanza. With the Pride trailing 24-23 after a Hofstra attack error, Knight knotted the score at 24 with one of her six kills in the opening stanza. Knight would continue to shine as the set progressed as she gave Hofstra a 25-24 lead with a service ace and put an end to the stanza with another kill for the narrow two-point victory.

Georgia State trailed 13-11 midway through the second stanza before the Panthers rallied to take a 16-15 advantage. After Hofstra tied the score at 16 on a GSU attack error, the Panthers scored five straight points to lead 21-16. Georgia State would never look back in earning the 25-21 victory.

After Georgia State scored the first point of the third set, a kill from junior middle blocker Anissa Whitney knotted the score at one before Knight added a pair of kills during a run that pushed the Pride's advantage to 4-1. A kill from Ashley Jones closed the gap to 9-6 later in the stanza, but Hofstra pulled away and led by as many as six en route to the 25-20 victory.

Hofstra never trailed in the final stanza, as the Pride scored the first three points of the set, including a kill and a service ace from graduate student outside hitter Marina Markovic. Hofstra would have a strong match offensively as they hit at a .324 clip, their highest of the match, connecting on 15 kills with just three errors. The Pride held a slight 22-20 lead late in the set before a kill from Knight stemmed the tide and pushed the momentum back in Hofstra's favor and Knight would end the match with her 22nd kill.

Markovic finished with 12 kills for Hofstra, which also got 11 kills and eight digs from Whitney. Redshirt freshman middle blocker Carolyn Jenkins contributed six kills and a team-high seven blocks.

Jones led Georgia State with 15 kills and 22 digs, while also adding seven blocks. Vineece Verdun had eight kills and a match-high eight blocks.

Hofstra returns to action on Sunday when they host UNC Wilmington at 1 p.m. in the Physical Fitness Center.

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