GREENWOOD - The Lander Bearcats continued their impressive season with a decisive 3-1 victory over Georgia College on Senior Night in Horne Arena. The win boosts Lander's record to 18-4 overall and 5-1 in the Peach Belt Conference as they remain at the top of the conference standings.
This victory marks the Bearcats' 10th home win of the season, making it the second consecutive year they've reached double-digit home wins—a first in school history. The Bearcats are poised to extend this record even further, with matches still left to play.
The Bearcat's offensive was on full display throughout the match, as they tallied an impressive 61 kills compared to the Bobcats' 37. Senior Olivia Dow led the charge with 17 kills, outshining GCSU's top scorers. Senior Madde Blake contributed another 15 kills, complementing Dow's performance and keeping the opposing blockers on their toes.
Lauren Dow was the engine behind the Bearcats' attack, racking up 31 assists. Senior Ellyn Adams also tallied 13 assists, keeping Georgia College's defense off-balance and guessing. Senior Blondie Penaflor added a key dimension to the offense with her aggressive serving, notching four aces and consistently applying pressure to Georgia College's serve reception.
Defensively, Lander's back row and blocking were equally impressive, limiting Georgia College to a modest .132 hitting percentage. Emmi Cheek was a standout, leading the team with 19 digs that halted many of the Bobcats' attacking attempts. Sophia Schneider also made a significant impact with 17 digs. The Bearcats' front-line defense was led by O. Dow and Penaflor, each with four blocks, challenging Georgia College at the net and forcing the Bobcats into difficult shots.
"We have to give a lot of credit to Georgia College for playing a great match. Their defense, especially their block, really kept us out of our game," said Head Coach Jeff Reynolds. "I'm proud of our kids for battling and staying focused. Tonight was special as we got to honor four of our outstanding players. It was great to watch them all play this evening and make some significant contributions to our victory."
How it Happened
Set 1: Lander set the tone early in the first set, demonstrating offensive power and efficiency with a stellar .286 hitting percentage. The turning point came when Penaflor delivered three consecutive service aces, pushing Lander's score from 9-9 to a comfortable lead at 13-9. Georgia College struggled to find their footing as Lander closed out the set decisively at 25-12.
Set 2: The Bearcats continued to apply pressure in the second set, building early momentum with effective serves and powerful kills that quickly pushed them ahead. Consistent offensive execution, including well-timed kills, kept Georgia College on their heels. Lander's blocking game also stepped up, creating multiple points from errors by the opposing hitters, securing another solid set at 25-16.
Set 3: Georgia College showed resilience in the third set, fighting back with a much-improved hitting percentage of .313. Lander's attack encountered some resistance from GCSU's block. Despite Lander's aggressive play, Georgia College edged out a 25-22 win, forcing a fourth set and briefly halting Lander's momentum.
Set 4: Lander bounced back with determination in the fourth set, with the Bearcats' defensive and offensive execution proving too much for Georgia College. The Bearcats wrapped up the match with five back-to-back kills from
Breana Pelbath and
Ryleigh Willard, and the final kill and point of the match came from senior Penaflor.
UP NEXT
The Bearcats will host Augusta University on Wednesday, November 13, for a decisive postseason Peach Belt match. The match will start at 6 p.m., so make sure to wear blue and pack the stands.
