GREEN BAY, WI -- The Green Bay volleyball team opened its regular season with two games in the 2021 GBD Invite on Friday, but came up short in both contests, falling 3-1 to Ball State to start the day before dropping a tough five-setter to North Dakota State in the nightcap.
NDSU 3, Green Bay 2
Anna Eaton tallied 15 kills with a .520 hitting percentage, but Green Bay fell in five sets (25-20, 22-25, 25-27, 25-22, 11-15) to the North Dakota State Bison Friday at home at Kress Events Center.
The Phoenix was led by a double-double from Alexandra Zakutney, who registered 15 kills and 10 digs on the day. Shannon Coughlin also added 18 kills to help the offense.Tiffany Paalman also pitched in with six in the contest. On the defensive end, Abby Gardner chipped in for GB with 13 digs to go with three blocks from Paalman.
Game Notes
» Green Bay had three players in double figures in kills.
» Anna Eaton was efficient in attacking situations in the match, accumulating 15 kills while hitting .520.
» Tiffany Paalman had a match-high six aces in the loss.
» Alexandra Zakutney registered a double-double with 15 kills and 10 digs
» Shannon Coughlin had a team-high 18 kills for Green Bay.
» Green Bay got a team-high 13 digs from Abby Gardner.
» Green Bay attackers were helped by a team-high 49 assists from Calli Gentry.
How It Happened
SET 1 | The Phoenix grabbed control of the set-one lead at 5-4 and held the lead the rest of the way to win 25-20. Green Bay led by as many as six points at 19-13 before closing out the set, collecting 17 kills while only registering one attack error along the way. Green Bay also supplemented their offense with three aces in the opening set.
SET 2 | Green Bay then dropped the second set 25-22, tying the match at a set apiece. Despite a strong serving performance, the Phoenix fell in the set. Green Bay recorded six aces in the set loss.
SET 3 | Green Bay then dropped their second set in a row, falling behind in the match two sets to one. Despite pinpoint serving, the Phoenix lost the set 27-25. Green Bay notched five aces in the loss.
SET 4 | Green Bay broke their two set losing streak and forced a fifth set with a 25-22 victory in set number four. The Phoenix persevered past a ferocious North Dakota State rally, hanging on to win after leading by eight points at 11-3 earlier in the set. Green Bay also supplemented their offense with four aces in the set. Green Bay got a solid defensive performance from a front row that blocked four North Dakota State attacks in the stanza.
SET 5 | After dropping sets two and three, Green Bay won set four, tying things up at 2-2 to force a fifth set, but couldn't complete the comeback, losing the set 15-11 and the match 3-2. The Phoenix dropped the fifth set despite a solid performance on the attacking end. Green Bay registered a .389 attack percentage with 10 kills in the set loss.
Ball State 3, Green Bay 1
Green Bay took the first set, but couldn't hold on and fell in four sets (25-11, 20-25, 21-25, 22-25) to the Ball State Cardinals Friday at home at Kress Events Center.
The Phoenix were led by a double-double from Alexandra Zakutney, who registered 16 kills and 14 digs on the day. Cora Behnke also added nine kills to help the attack. On the defensive end, Abby Gardner chipped in for GB with 16 digs to go with five blocks from Anna Eaton.
Game Notes
» Green Bay had three players in double figures in digs.
» Alexandra Zakutney had a match-high three aces in the loss.
» Alexandra Zakutney registered a double-double with 16 kills and 14 digs
» Green Bay never trailed on the way to winning the first set 25-11.
» Alexandra Zakutney had a match-high 16 kills for Green Bay.
» Green Bay got a team-high 16 digs from Abby Gardner.
» Green Bay attackers were helped by a match-high 44 assists from Calli Gentry.
How It Happened
SET 1 | The Phoenix won the first point and held the lead the rest of the way to win the first set 25-11. Green Bay opened up its biggest lead, 14 points, to close out the set. Green Bay also supplemented their offense with three aces in the opening set.
SET 2 | Green Bay fell in set two 25-20 to tie the match 1-1. The Phoenix dropped the first point and fought from behind the rest of the way before dropping the set.
SET 3 | A set-three loss put Green Bay behind two sets to one. The Phoenix fell in a back-and-forth battle, losing 25-21 in a set that featured four lead changes and was tied 10 times. Neither team had a lead of more than four points along the way.
SET 4 | Green Bay lost set four and the match, falling 25-22. Ball State grabbed the advantage for good at 6-5 and Green Bay was never able to recover in a set that was tied up six times before the Cardinals took over the lead.
UP NEXT: Green Bay will host St. Thomas (1:30 PM) and Northern Iowa (6:30 PM) in the second and final day of the GBD Invite on Saturday.
###
For the latest and most up-to-date information on Green Bay Athletics and Green Bay Volleyball, please visit GreenBayPhoenix.com.
Follow us on Twitter: @GBPhoenix
Like Green Bay Phoenix Athletics on Facebook.
This article created using technology provided by Data Skrive.
---GreenBayPhoenix.com---
