App State volleyball returned to Holmes Convocation Center Thursday, dropping a pair of matches to Coastal Carolina. The Mountaineers dropped the first match 3-1 and fell in Friday’s match 3-2.  

App State opened the first set with an early 5-2 lead. The Chanticleers responded with their own 8-0 run to take control of the set. App State fought back slowly with two separate 3-0 runs to pull within a point and took control from there after four errors from the Chanticleers. The Mountaineers ended the set 25-22.

The Chanticleers opened the second set hot, taking control early with a 6-0 run. The Mountaineers came within one before Coastal pulled away again, going up 11-6. The Chanticleers controlled the rest of the set, winning 25-14.

The third set went back and forth early on, but the Mountaineers began to grew a 17-14 lead. App State was completely derailed from there, sacrificing nine straight points to Coastal Carolina, trailing 23-17. The Chanticleers closed the set 25-19. 

The fourth set went back and forth early once again with the teams trading points up to a 10-10 tie. Coastal Carolina went on a 7-0 run to take control of the final set. With an eight point deficit, App State tried to fight back, but the Chanticleers closed the set 25-19. 

Senior outside hitter McCall Denny led the Black and Gold with 12 kills, and senior setter Sam Bickley led the team with 22 assists. Defensively, freshman middle blocker Maya Winterhoff tallied a team-high six blocks, and fellow freshman libero Kenady Roper notched 19 digs over the match. 

Returning Friday, the Mountaineers lost a close 3-2 match to the Chanticleers, extending their losing streak to four.

App State opened the first set quickly, using a 5-0 run to take an early 8-3 lead. The Mountaineers capped off the lead by a monster block from Winterhoff. The Chanticleers didn’t stay cold for long, mounting their own 5-0 run to pull back within two, forcing a Mountaineer timeout. 

App State continued the set strong, responding with a 4-0 run before taking complete control of the match late with a 22-13 lead. The Mountaineers won the set 25-17 after a pair of kills from senior middle blocker Sarah Missroon and sophomore outside hitter Lulu Ambrose. 

The Mountaineers started the second set slowly, allowing the Chanticleers to take an early 5-2 lead. Coastal Carolina continued to control the set, holding an 11-6 lead before a timeout. The Mountaineers chipped away at the lead, pulling within three, 11-14. The Chanticleers extended their lead to seven before the Black and Gold poured on points, battling back within a point after a monster block by junior outside hitter Madison Baldridge. App State tied the set before the Chanticleers took a 23-20 lead. Coastal Carolina closed the set 25-21. 

Opening the third set, App State and the Chanticleers traded points early before Coastal Carolina pulled away, taking a 8-3 lead. The Chants continued to dominate, pulling away 13-6. The Mountaineers battled back after a timeout, putting up a barrage of points, pulling within three to make it 13-16. Continuing to chip away at the lead, the Mountaineers tied the set after a Winterhoff ace. The Chanticleers swung the momentum back and began pulling away 23-20. Coming out of a timeout, Coastal Carolina closed the set 25-20 to take a 2-1 lead. 

Down 2-1, App State took control early in the set with a 6-2 lead. The Mountaineers advantage didn’t last long as Costal battled back to tie the match 7-7. The Mountaineers and Chanticleers traded the lead with neither team able to really take advantage. The Mountaineers tried taking control late with a block from Ambrose and Missroon followed by a kill from Ambrose, pushing the score to 20-18. The Chanticleers battled back, tying the match 23-23, forcing App State to use their final timeout. Coming out of the timeout, Denny closed the set for the Mountaineers, 25-23 after a pair of kills, tying the match 2-2. 

The fifth set opened, continuing the back and forth play of the fourth set. The Chanticleers used a 3-0 run to take control of the set 6-3, but the Mountaineers continued to battle. Coastal maintained control of the set leading 13-7 late in the fifth. The Mountaineers dropped the set 15-8, closing the match out 3-2 for the Chanticleers.  

Ambrose and Winterhoff each posted 13 kills to lead the team, with Denny pacing right behind with 11. Junior setter Sophie Cain set up 27 assists, with Bickley trailing right behind with 18. Defensively, in her first collegiate start, Alyssa McBean posted a team high in digs, 18, and four aces. Missroon led the team with seven blocks. 

The Mountaineers go on the road as they prepare to face Sun Belt rival Georgia State Oct. 6 and Oct. 7. The Mountaineers will try to end their four game losing skid to open conference play. 

“Georgia State next weekend, that is a must win weekend. We need to go out and win that weekend,” Cain said.