Balanced Bulldog Offense Bests Belmont in Exhibition

By Austin Coats, Graduate Assistant/Communications

NASHVILLE – Paige Shaw, Gabby Waden and Alleah Stamatis lit up the box score as Mississippi State volleyball defeated Belmont, 3-1, on Sunday (Aug. 25) in Nashville.

The Bulldogs swept the first three sets, 25-21, 25-15, 25-23, before dropping a pre-scheduled fourth set, 25-17 at the Curb Event Center.

"Today is exactly what this team needed," head coach Julie Darty said. "It was a great way for us to end our preseason training and get ready to open our fall season on our home court next weekend. I think we're ready.

"This was a great way for everybody to get some playing experience and work through some of those jitters."

Waden led all MSU attackers with 15 kills on 24 attempts, while committing only one error, for a .583 attacking percentage. Waden was an errorless 15-for-23 through the first three sets.

Shaw followed with 12 kills of her own and combined 12 digs for a double-double. Freshman Makenzie Jordan also had 10 kills. Stamatis set the pace for the MSU offense, collecting 41 assists and narrowly missed a double-double with nine digs of her own.

"It was a great day for our offense," Darty said. "Alleah did a great job of running a balanced attack and that can't happen if we don't pass the ball.

"We did a really good job of taking care of the first contact. Belmont played some really good defense in that first set and we had to really work to score points."

Junior Gabby Zgunda led the team defensively, earning 23 digs. Sophomores Deja Robinson and Shaw each totaled four blocks.

First Set

Waden earned six of her 15 kills on eight attempts to lead the way to a 25-21 win in the initial set, and a pair of kills from the sophomore bookended the opening frame victory. .

After starting the set down 9-7, MSU came back to take the lead and never looked back. Robinson put together back-to-back kills to give MSU a 10-9 lead and three kills each from Waden and Shaw helped carry MSU the rest of the way.

Second Set

State converted 12 kills on 27 attempts with just one error to total a .407 attacking percentage as the Bulldogs won the second set comfortably, 25-15. MSU took an early 5-4 lead on a block from Amarrah Cooks and Waden, and the team cruised from there. Waden added four more kills?? on eight tries without an error.

Third Set

A late burst powered MSU to the 25-23 third-set victory. After Darty took a timeout with her team down 21-23, a block from Shaw and kill from Waden tied it. Belmont committed an attacking error on the next point before Waden sealed the win with her 15th kill.

Fourth Set

After sealing the match, State fell in a pre-determined fourth set when it lost ground early to the Bruins. Shaw earned five of her 12 kills in the final set.

Up Next
Mississippi State is set to open its regular season Friday, August 30, by hosting the StarkVegas Classic in the Newell-Grissom Building. First serve is scheduled for Noon CT as MSU takes on Chattanooga.

For more information on the Bulldogs, follow the program on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching @HailStateVB.

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Players Mentioned

Amarrah Cooks

Makenzie Jordan

Deja Robinson

Paige Shaw

Alleah Stamatis

Gabby Waden

Gabby Zgunda

Mississippi State University Athletics