STATESBORO, Ga. – Georgia Southern received 14 kills from Chamblee Russell and another 10 kills from Jillian Gray in order to power past visiting Bethune-Cookman 3-0 in volleyball action Friday night as part of the GATA Challenge inside Hanner Fieldhouse. The Eagles took down the Wildcats on scores of 25-9, 25-11, 25-15.
 
Bethune-Cookman (0-10), playing its seventh consecutive match away from Daytona Beach, was forced into a match-high seven errors in the opening set, with the Wildcats posting a negative hitting clip (-.071) in the frame.
 
Counter to that, the host Georgia Southern Eagles (10-1) rode the arm of Chamblee Russell in the opener, as she registered four kills on seven swings. As a unit, the Eagles hit .286 in the set, using 11 kills against three errors on28 total attempts. That allowed the Eagles to collect the 25-9 win in the period.
 
The Maroon and Gold found the hitting touch in the second frame when redshirt junior outside hitter Elizabeth Phillips tallied four kills on 11 attempts. Jasmine Moore, Niara Hightower and AJ Simmons each posted a kill in the set as well.
 
However, GSU's Russell tallied seven kills in the set, while teammates Reagan Barth and Jillian Gray each amassed three kills for their side, pushing the Eagles out to the 2-0 match lead on the strength of a 25-11 set win. The Eagles eclipsed their highest hitting percentage of the match in the second period, accounting for 16 kills on 30 swings against just two (2) errors overall.
 
In the third set, Bethune-Cookman stepped out to an early 2-0 lead behind a Mia Delahoussaye service ace and a Gray attack error. The teams would tie each other six times throughout the third frame before a Delahoussaye attack error moved the Eagles in front for good at 10-9. That sparked a 7-0 run for the hosts, using the serve of Paige Powers during the run.
 
The Cats would hit their highest percentage of the match in the third and final set, registering a .103 clip with eight kills. Jasmine Moore accounted for three of those kills in the period, followed closely by Delahoussaye and Phillips with two kills apiece.
 
Georgia Southern was led on the night by Russell's 14-kill outburst, as well as the 10-kill performance from Gray. Setter Kirsten Barrett had 24 assists. And Ashlyn Lovett provided the defensive effort with 13 digs.
 
BCU looked towards Phillips with a team-high seven kills, adding five digs and a block assist in the contest. Alisha Callender finished with 10 assists and 14 digs for a double-double. Ktyal Price provided three blocks (two assists).
 
The Wildcats conclude the regular season tournament portion of their schedule Saturday at 1 p.m., when BCU closes the GATA Challenge against Mercer back at Hanner Fieldhouse.
 
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