By Katherine Jamtgaard. BOONE, N.C. — The App State women’s basketball team posted a 97-43 victory over Columbia College to open play in the Holmes Convocation Center on Nov. 6, marking Alaura Sharp’s first win as head coach for the Mountaineers.

All 14 Mountaineers scored against the Koalas, with four registering double-figures. Senior J’Mani Ingram netted 18 points. Fellow senior Mara Neira netted 16 points, accounting for four of the Mountaineers’ eight treys. Tallying a career-high 15 points on the night was senior Zada Porter, who sank 6-of-8 from the field and 3-of-5 from the line. Junior Seneya Martinez posted 11 points and grabbed a team-high seven rebounds. Fellow junior Elena Pericic pulled down six rebounds. Senior Asjah Inniss dished out a team-high five assists. Martinez, Neira, senior Emily Carver, and freshman Hekla Nökkvadóttir combined for eight of App State’s 13 steals, each contributing a pair.

All 14 Mountaineers scored against the Koalas

The Mountaineers controlled the lead for the duration of the game and tallied 32 points off turnovers compared to Columbia’s six. App State also saw 49 points off the bench and 58 points in the paint. The Black and Gold recorded 17 fastbreak points to Columbia’s two. The Black and Gold held Columbia College under 10 points in three of four quarters. The Mountaineers also caused 25 Koala turnovers.

The Mountaineers set to work in the first quarter, holding the Koalas to a mere six points. App State started things off with a 4-0 lead after an early free throw from Zoë McCrary and a 3-point bucket from Carver. Neira contributed eight points, draining a pair of treys in addition to sinking a layup. Ingram went 3-for-3 from the field for six points in the quarter. The Mountaineers netted 15 unanswered points by the close of the quarter.

Columbia only scored nine points in the third and fourth quarters, combined.

Porter opened the second quarter with a layup, which she promptly followed with a jumper to extend App State’s score to 28-9. Inniss made a layup and completed the three-point play with a free throw to keep the Mountaineers ahead 33-14. The Mountaineers went on a 10-0 scoring run over 2:22 to extend the lead to 40-14. App State closed out the quarter, 50-25, after a pair of free throws from Martinez, a trey from Neira, and a layup from Porter, assisted by Inniss.

The Mountaineers held the Koalas to nine points in both the third and the fourth quarters. Neira opened the third quarter with a 3-point bucket, extending App State’s lead to 53-25. Over the course of the period, the Mountaineers went on a 15-point run, which included layups from Neira, McCrary, Carver, Porter, as well a free throw from senior Georgia Gray, and was capped with a trey from junior Emily Hege. The Mountaineers capped the third quarter, 78-34 after a pair of freebies from Ingram.

In the fourth quarter, Ingram recorded eight of the Mountaineers 19 points, draining 4-of-5 from the field. Hege and Martinez managed to break away from layups in the paint to bring the Mountaineers to a 93-41 lead. Senior Samantha LaFon made the Mountaineers’ final layup as App State sealed the win, 97-43.

Up Next

The Mountaineers will head to Greensboro, N.C. to take on UNC Greensboro on Nov. 16. Tipoff is set for 3:30 p.m. and the game will be available to stream on ESPN+.

By Jacob Plecker. BOONE, N.C. — For the first time since Feb. 18, 2023, the App State Mountaineers dropped a home men’s basketball contest, falling 77-63 to the Miami (Ohio) RedHawks in the first leg of the MAC-SBC Challenge. It’s also the first time since 2013 the Mountaineers lost their home opener.

Despite the result, eight different Mountaineers found the basket with Myles Tate leading all scorers, dropping in 21 points. In his first collegiate contest, Michael Marcus Jr. tallied nine points on a perfect 3-3 from the field, while Jackson Threadgill also scored nine points in his first game with the Mountaineers.

Turnovers played a large part in the App State (0-1) loss, coughing up the ball 19 times, which led to 10 RedHawk (1-0) points. That is in sharp contrast to a season ago when App State turned the ball over 15 times or more in only four contests.

Tight first half

App State started fast to open the season, running out to an early four-point lead by the first media timeout. Tate played a large role in the hot start, nailing two 3-pointers, while Threadgill and Huntley each buried free throws.

Luke Wilson made his presence felt early in the contest and helped the Mountaineer crowd out of their seats with a thunderous slam at the 14:50 mark, capping off a solo 4-0 run for the redshirt freshman. The lead grew to as large as seven after Tate picked off a pass that led to a fast break layup.

After Peter Suder hit a floater to bring the RedHawks within five, Tate’s tenth point of the contest shot the lead back up to seven by the 13-minute mark of the first half. Miami and Suder answered right back with a layup, plus a foul, to trim its deficit to four by the under-12 timeout.

With the lead now at four, CJ Huntley’s aggressiveness paid off with two free throws to push the App State lead back to six with 10 minutes to play in the half, but the RedHawks and the explosiveness of their backcourt tied the game at 22 with just over seven minutes remaining before intermission.

The lead changed hands four times over the final seven minutes of the half, with both teams jockeying for position to open the season. Dior Conners, playing in his first NCAA Division I game, scored his first basket with a three-pointer to push App State ahead. Miami took a three-point lead, its largest lead of the first half, just before the final media timeout.

A top-of-the-key three by Huntley propelled the Mountaineers ahead with 50 seconds to play in the period, but a late three by Kam Craft gave the RedHawks a one-point lead at halftime.

Tate’s 11 points led all scorers in the first 20 minutes as he shot 4-6 from the field to go along with three rebounds and three assists. Huntley started the game hot from the field as well, tallying nine. Both teams shot less than 40 percent from the field in the opening frame, but Miami’s 42 percent clip from three was the difference in a tightly contested first half.

Second half, faltering

A third 3-pointer in four attempts from Tate gave the Mountaineers the lead back 30 seconds into the second half, but Miami got hot, hitting five of its next seven shots to take a six-point lead by the under-16 timeout.

The Redhawks pushed their lead to eight by the 14:10 mark, but two straight threes by Anthony Alston and Marcus Jr. shrunk the deficit back to two with just under 13 minutes to play. Alston’s three was his first collegiate points.

Miami answered the quick threes from App State by scoring the game’s next six points to reclaim an eight-point advantage. The lead grew to nine by the under-eight timeout as Jackson Kotecki made a layup.

Threadgill’s fifth point of the game closed the Mountaineer deficit back to seven by the 7:35 mark, but the RedHawks continued to shoot it well to grow their lead. Three straight threes from Suder and Craft ballooned the RedHawk lead to 12 with five minutes to play.

The fourth three-pointer from Tate and a free throw by Marcus Jr. trimmed the score back to seven with four minutes to play, but it was Miami that stayed hot to close the game as it scored 10 of the final 14 points to claim a 14-point win in Boone.

Top Performers

Playing all but two minutes of the game, Tate’s 21 points led all scorers and marked his fourth career 20-point performance. He was also efficient, nailing eight of his 15 attempts and four of his seven threes. In just 14 minutes of play, Marcus, Jr. tallied nine points in his first collegiate game on 3-of-3 shooting from beyond the arc. Threadgill played well in his first game at App State, scoring nine points while also blocking two shots, which led the team.

Up Next

App State will take the floor again on Wednesday night, facing off with the St. Andrews Knights at the Holmes Convocation Center. Wednesday’s game will be a part of a doubleheader with the Mountaineer women. The women will tip off at five with the men’s game to follow approximately 30 minutes after. Both games can be streamed on ESPN+.

By Katherine Jamtgaard. OXFORD, Ohio — The App State women’s basketball team fell short to Miami University, 75-48, in its season opener and first installment of the 2024-25 MAC-SBC Challenge, Nov. 4.

Junior Seneya Martinez led the Mountaineers with 15 points off the bench. Martinez combined with senior Mara Neira for six of App State’s seven treys, draining three apiece. Neira also got into double-figures on the night with 11 points. Fellow senior Zada Porter pulled down a team-high eight rebounds and dished out a team-high three assists. The Mountaineers saw 22 points off the bench.

Miami established an early lead over the course of the first quarter. The Mountaineers cut the deficit to 34-22 in the second quarter and outscored the RedHawks 18-11. Neira and Inniss combined for 14 of App State’s 18 points in the period with Neira knocking down three of four from beyond the arc and Inniss draining a 3-point bucket as well as making a fastbreak layup. Junior Elena Pericic contributed a trio of points, draining three from the line.

Miami (Ohio) continued to extend its lead in the third and fourth quarters. The Mountaineers’ Martinez nonetheless found some momentum in the second half, scoring all 15 of her points over the third and fourth quarters. Porter also contributed six points in the second half. In the fourth quarter, App State outscored the RedHawks, 17-12, and went on a 9-0 scoring run. Despite the Mountaineers’ late surge, Miami walked away with the victory.

Up Next

The Mountaineers will return to Boone for their home opener against Columbia College (S.C.) on Nov. 6. Tipoff is set for 5 p.m. and will be available to stream on ESPN+. Wednesday’s game is part of a doubleheader with the men’s team, who will play St. Andrews at 7:30 p.m.

By Zach Smith. BOONE, N.C. — Shooting woes and turnover troubles plagued App State men’s basketball Nov. 4 in their season opener. The Mountaineers fell to Miami (Ohio) in the first leg of the MAC-Sun Belt challenge, 77-63.

Senior guard Myles Tate was a key contributor for App State, posting team-highs with 21 points and five assists. Junior guard Jamil Muttilib grabbed seven rebounds, leading the Mountaineers despite playing just 17 minutes.

App State took an early lead in the first half, jumping in front by as many as seven points with just over 13 minutes on the clock. Miami (Ohio) clawed their way back over the next six minutes before drawing even. Following a Myles Tate free throw that put the Mountaineers back on top, the RedHawks took the first lead of the night courtesy of an Evan Ipsaro layup. Miami (Ohio) led by one at halftime.

The second half started as well as it could have for App State. Tate drained a go-ahead three-pointer 30 seconds into the frame and, following a made jumper by RedHawks forward Antwone Woolfolk to tie the game, redshirt freshman Luke Wilson threw an emphatic dunk to give the Mountaineers the lead for the final time. Miami (Ohio) went on three separate runs of at least five consecutive points to put App State away.

The RedHawks won the shooting battle, posting a 46% clip compared to App State’s 40%. The Mountaineers’ struggles were highlighted by a 28% three-point mark. Miami (Ohio) outrebounded App State, 35-34, while the home side turned the ball over 19 times compared to their MAC opponents’ 14.

App State head coach Dustin Kerns shared his thoughts postgame.

“We’ve got some things to improve on in a lot of areas, but appreciate the fans and the students coming out,” Kerns said. “We’ll be better, it won’t define our season. A lot of ball left, but certainly not our best game. Miami (Ohio) had a lot to do with that, and they deserved to win.”

Myles Tate stepped into a new role after primarily coming off the bench last season. Kerns spoke on his performance with a team-high 21 points.

“We want Myles to be aggressive,” Kerns said. “I feel like Myles is going to be the reason that other people play well.”

App State returns to action Nov. 6 when they host St. Andrews in a doubleheader with the women’s team. The men’s game is slated to tipoff at 7:30p.m. and will be streamed on ESPN+.

SALEM, Va./CHARLESTON, S.C. — App State Wrestling opened its 2024-25 schedule over the weekend with 27 wrestlers in action across two tournaments, highlighted by Luke Uliano’s individual title at the Southeast Open in Virginia on Saturday, Nov. 2.

Tomas Brooker’s runner-up finish at the Battle at The Citadel in South Carolina led the Mountaineers on Sunday, Nov. 3.

SOUTHEAST OPEN

Uliano captured the title at 174 pounds on Saturday in Salem, going 4-0 in his bracket and claiming a 7-1 decision against Morgan State’s Darrien Roberts in the final.

Uliano won a tournament title for the second time, pairing this one with his 2023 title at the Appalachian Open.

In a semifinal match with four reversals, a conceded escape to Uliano to open the third period was the difference in a 5-4 win against North Carolina’s Isaiah Estrada. He won his first two matches in the Open Division by major decision.

The other top results from App State’s six entries in Salem, Va., were runner-up finishes from Carson Floyd (197 pounds, Open Division) and true freshman Stephan Monchery (heavyweight, Freshman/Sophomore Division). Chad Bellis dropped his first match but took fifth at 133 pounds with a 5-1 record, while Jeremiah Price was fifth at 157 pounds with a 5-2 record.

Floyd overcame a 9-3 deficit entering the third period against West Virginia’s Rune Lawrence in the semifinal round, forcing overtime on takedowns with 50 seconds left and seven seconds left, then advanced via a medical forfeit. Virginia Tech’s Sonny Sasso won the final by fall.

Monchery won his first collegiate match by fall and advanced to the final of his bracket with a 5-1 decision.

Bellis’ last two wins came against 2024 SoCon semifinalists Blake Boarman of Chattanooga (17-7 major decision) and Dyson Dunham of VMI (5-2 decision).

BATTLE AT THE CITADEL

Brooker went 2-0 with a head-to-head win against teammate Dalton Battle in a 184-pound semifinal before falling 4-2 in the final against The Citadel’s Billy Janzer, who was an NCAA qualifier for Rutgers in 2020 and 2021. Janzer recorded a tiebreaking takedown with 33 seconds left.

The Mountaineers got third-place finishes from true freshman Jarvis Little (4-1 at 133 pounds), Aldo Hernandez (3-1 at 141 pounds) and Logan Eller (3-1 at 184 pounds), while Anthony Conetta placed fourth at 157 pounds with a 3-2 record.

The 2024-25 season is presented by Hungry Howie’s and Penn Station.

By Lance McNary. HARRISONBURG, Va. – The App State field hockey team defeated James Madison by a score of 4-3 on Nov. 3. With Sunday’s win, the Mountaineers are back-to-back MAC Regular Season Co-Champions and earn a first-round bye in the MAC Tournament.

The Mountaineers (11-7, 7-1 MAC) came into today’s matchup after previously defeating Queens, and App State’s win against James Madison (13-5, 7-1 MAC) is the third consecutive win against the Dukes.

Lise Boekaar, Kassie Paul and Florine Koopman all found the back of the cage against the Dukes, with Paul tallying two on the day.

The Mountaineers played both sides of the ball extremely well, holding a James Madison team that is first in the MAC in goals to seven shots for the game. The Mountaineers earned 10 corners in the contest, a sharp comparison to the two from James Madison.

How it Happened

1st Quarter: The Mountaineers opened the game putting pressure on the Dukes, tallying five shots and earning four corners in the period. Boekaar put the Mountaineers on the board first six minutes into the game, giving App State a 1-0 lead going into the second.

2nd Quarter: It was more of the same for the Mountaineers, tallying three shots and earning a corner. Both teams were held scoreless in the period, as both teams battled for possession before heading into the halftime break.

3rd Quarter: It was an offensive clinic for both teams, with four goals scored in the period. Paul scored her first goal of the game early in the quarter, but James Madison answered back with 2 goals of their own. Paul ended the quarter with her second goal of the game, giving the lead back to the Mountaineers. App State earned three corners and three shots, as they dominated a lot of the possession. App State held a 3-2 lead going into the final period of the game.

4th Quarter: The final period was a thrilling one, as Koopman scored her fifth goal of the season early in the period. James Madison answered back on a penalty corner, trimming the lead back to one with five minutes left in the contest. The Mountaineers held firm in the final minutes of the contest, even being down one on a Frederique Grimbergen yellow card. App State prevailed in the end, defeating the Dukes 4-3.

Winning Goalie – Claire Grenis (13-5): 1 save, 3 goals allowed
Losing Goalie – Katie Fricke (3-1): 3 saves, 4 goals allowed

Up Next

The Mountaineers will travel to Oxford, Ohio to play in the MAC Tournament on Thursday. The Mountaineers will have a first-round bye in the tournament and will play the winner of Game 2 of the tournament.

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — In a Nov. 2 game featuring what have been two high-powered offenses in Old Dominion and Appalachian State, defense was the difference maker for the Mountaineers’ 28-20 win — including the Monarchs coughing up the football four times with turnovers (three fumbles and one interception), while the only turnover blemish for the Mountaineer offense was a single pass interception.

Both the Mountaineers and the Monarchs had running backs rushing for over 100 yards. App State’s Ahmani Marshall surpassed that mark for the second consecutive game, carrying the ball 23 times for 120 yards. Old Dominion RB Aaron Young toted the pigskin 14 times for 110 yards.

For both sides, the scoring damage came through the air. The Mountaineers’ quarterback, Joey Aguilar, threw that one pass INT, but otherwise completed 13-of-24 passes for 212 yards and four TDs. Old Dominion’s Colton Joseph was a little more pass-happy, completing 17 of 42 passes for 332 yards and two TDs, as well as one interception.

On the opening play from scrimmage, Old Dominion flexed its offensive prowess with a 61 yard pass from Joseph to wide receiver Isaiah Paige but, just three plays later, the Monarch drive stalled when Joseph fumbled the ball near the Mountaineer 6-yard line and inside linebacker Brendan Harrington alertly jumped on it. It was only ODU’s first drive and first turnover, but it set the tone for what would be the Monarchs’ proverbial albatross for the rest of the game.

Meanwhile, App State responded on its first play with an Aguilar pass to favorite wide receiver Kaedin Robinson, for 46 yards and getting the ball into Monarch territory. From there it would take only six plays for the Mountaineers to find a reward for the turnover, a 23-yard pass on 3rd-and-12 from Aguilar to Robinson, caught in the end zone for the redshirt senior receiver’s first TD catch of the season.

Although Old Dominion rallied to take a 17-7 lead with under five minutes to go in the first half, a 46-yard strike from Aguilar to redshirt junior Dalton Stroman brought the deficit to a manageable 3 points, 14-17, as the teams headed into their respective locker rooms for intermission.

The Mountaineers took the lead midway through the third quarter when Aguilar found tight end Kanen Hamlett for a 4-yard TD, the tight end’s second touchdown catch in as many weeks.

With the clock winding down on the third quarter, ODU closed to within a point (21-20) with a 25-yard Ethan Sanchez field goal. Then the Monarchs stopped the Mountaineers’ first drive of the final period, giving them a chance to retake the lead with either a field goal or a TD. Although they drove to the App State 36-yard line, the Monarchs came up empty when Joseph was sacked by defensive lineman Shawn Collins and lost the ball in the process, the third turnover of the day recovered by redshirt junior outside linebacker, Thomas Davis.

App State immediately capitalized, eating up a lot of the remaining game clock before another tight end, redshirt freshman Max Drag, recorded his first career TD reception as a Mountaineer — on his first career catch. With Jackson Moore’s successful PAT kick, App State had a 28-20 lead but was not quite out of the proverbial woods in leaving 2:29 on the clock for ODU’s Joseph & Co. to work with. A TD and 2-point conversion would tie the game and send the outcome into overtime.

But that didn’t happen, thanks to the Monarch’s final turnover of the afternoon. Although the ODU offense knocked off three first downs to get the ball into App State territory, on 4th-and-11, with just 48 seconds remaining, Joseph’s desperation pass downfield was overthrown — and App State redshirt freshman safety Zyeir Gamble leapt high to pluck it from the air for the interception, sealing the visitors’ fate and the Mountaineers’ second win in as many games.

In his post-game press conference with media, Appalachian State head coach Shawn Clark credited his team’s ability to win the turnover battle as a major reason for the victory. He also noted that the Mountaineers’ offensive linemen, all new this year, have found some cohesiveness now eight games into the season and that has also been a major factor in the team’s recent resurgence.

Now 4-4 overall, the Mountaineers need two more wins to become bowl eligible. By improving to 2-3 in Sun Belt Conference play, App State can mathematically still represent the SBC’s East Division in the Dec. 7, Sun Belt Championship game — but they need to win out against Coastal Carolina (away, Thursday, Nov. 7), vs. James Madison (home, Saturday, Nov. 23) and against Georgia Southern (away, Saturday, Nov. 30) and probably get a little help along the way.

In the tight East Division race, at 2-3 in Sun Belt play App State is in fifth place behind Georgia Southern and Marshall (both 3-1), Old Dominion (3-2) and James Madison (2-2), ahead of Coastal Carolina (1-3) and Georgia State (0-4).

The West Division is currently led by Louisiana (4-0), Arkansas State and South Alabama (both 3-1), ULM (3-2), Texas State (2-2). Troy (1-4) and Southern Miss (0-4) are all but eliminated from the West Division race.

 

GAME STATISTICS (courtesy of App State Athletics and StatBroadcast)

By Katherine Jamtgaard. ATLANTA, Ga. — The App State volleyball team defeated Georgia State in a five-set thriller (15-25, 25-14, 19-25, 25-19, 15-7), on the road Nov. 2.

The Mountaineers, who have won five of their last six matches, are 14-7 on the season and 8-2 in Sun Belt play. With the pair of wins on the weekend, App State moves to the top spot in the Sun Belt’s East Division.

“I’m so proud of our team,” said head coach Sarah Rumely Noble. “I say it all the time, but the belief is high, the grit is high, and the resiliency is high. That was a gutsy road performance in both matches this weekend. We can’t wait to be back in Holmes for Senior Weekend. We need all of App Nation out to support this team.”

App State 3, Georgia State 2

Junior Maya Winterhoff led the team with a career high 20 kills. She also recorded a hitting percentage of .390 on the afternoon. On the weekend, Winterhoff recorded a hitting percentage of .464 and averaged 4.22 kills per set. Following Winterhoff was senior Lulu Ambrose, who made 16 kills. Redshirt junior Addison Heidemann registered her eighth career double-double, leading the Mountaineers in assists (40) and matching with freshman Elise Marchal for the team highs in digs (11) and aces (4). Heidemann and Marchal combined for eight of App State’s 11 aces. Heidemann also averaged 9.67 assists per set for the weekend. Sophomore Ava Leahy went up for a team high six blocks in addition to her seven kills. Leahy totaled 10 blocks on the weekend (two solo, eight assists).

App State outpaced Georgia State in aces (11-6), kills (56-51), and assists (50-49).

In the first set, Georgia State found momentum early, taking a 10-3 lead. The Mountaineers chipped away at the deficit with kills from Hutchens, Winterhoff, and Leahy and a block from the duo of Heidemann and Leahy over the course of the set. Despite a last kill from Winterhoff, the Panthers took the set, 25-15.

The Mountaineers knotted the score eight times and traded the lead three times in the third set.

App State found momentum in the second set, jumping to a 6-0 lead after kills from Winterhoff and Marchal as well as three Heidemann aces. A pair of back-to-back kills from Winterhoff, as well as a Panther error extended App State’s lead to 9-2. Kills from Ambrose, Marchal, and Heideman, put the Mountaineers up 13-5. The Mountaineers went on a 7-2 run, extending the deficit to 21-10 after kills from Hutchens, Winterhoff, and Ambrose, and a pair of blocks from the duo of Marchal and Winterhoff. A Leahy kill followed by a block from Leahy and Heidemann brought the Mountaineers to set point, 24-12. The Panthers held the Mountaineers to two set points, but Ambrose slammed down a kill to seal the set for App State, 25-14.

The Mountaineers and Panthers knotted the score eight times and traded the lead thrice in the third set. App State managed to meet GSU at 12 all after a kill from Leahy. A kill from Roper gave the Mountaineers a 13-12 edge. Marchal tied things up at 15 all with a kill, but the Panthers broke the tie with a 6-0 run to take a 21-15 lead. Despite a solo block from Winterhoff, a block from Leahy and Heidemann, and a pair of kills from Ambrose, Georgia State took the set, 25-19.

The win puts the Mountaineers in first place in the Sun Belt’s East Division.

The Mountaineers flipped the script in the fourth set, clinching the set, 25-19 to push for a fifth. Winterhoff opened the set with a kill. The Panthers only managed to meet the Mountaineers once at 1-1, before App State pulled away, 4-1, with a block from Marchal and Winterhoff, a GSU error, and a kill from Ambrose. After a kill from Hutchens, another GSU error, and a kill from Winterhoff, App State took a 11-6 lead. Georgia State managed to come within one of App State’s lead (14-13), but the Mountaineers jumped ahead 18-15 after a pair of Leahy kills, and kills from Ambrose and Winterhoff. The Panthers managed to come back within one of the Mountaineers’ lead at 20-19, but App State clinched the set, 25-19, with a 5-0 run that featured kills from Winterhoff and Ambrose, as well as a Winterhoff ace, and a block from the duo of Leahy and Marchal.

In the fifth and final set, App State tied things up at two all after Heidemann served up an ace. Winterhoff managed to keep things tied at three all with a kill, but Georgia State managed to edge ahead, 5-3. Winterhoff slammed down her 20th kill of the match to cut Georgia State’s lead to one (5-4). Georgia State took a 6-4 edge with a kill, but a GSU error and Ambrose kill tied things up at six all and marked the start of an impressive 10-0 run for the Mountaineers that brought App State to set and match point (14-6). Marchal served all four of her aces within the 10-0 run, which also included two additional kills from Ambrose. Heidemann set Ambrose up for one final kill that sealed the set, 15-7, and clinched the match for the Mountaineers, 3-2.

Looking Ahead

The Mountaineers return to Boone to host Marshall for their final pair of home matches on Nov. 8 and 9. Friday’s match is set for 6 p.m. and will celebrate Most Valuable Professors Day. Saturday’s match is slated for 1 p.m. and will honor the Mountaineers’ graduating seniors: Lulu Ambrose, Cierra Huntley, and Lauren Pledger.

By Katherine Jamtgaard. ATLANTA — The App State volleyball team defeated Georgia State, 3-1 (25-17, 21-25, 25-15, 25-21) in Atlanta on Friday.

The Mountaineers, who have won four of their last five matches, are 13-7 on the season and 7-2 in Sun Belt play. Friday’s victory also moves App State to the top of the league’s East Division.

The Mountaineers return to the court at 2 p.m. on Saturday (Nov. 2) for their second match against Georgia State.

App State 3, Georgia State 1

Four Mountaineers made double figure kills, led by junior Maya Winterhoff, who tallied 18 kills for a hitting percentage of .571. Winterhoff was one kill away from matching her career high (19), which was set on Sept. 15, 2023 against Wake Forest. Winterhoff and sophomore Caroline Farthing combined for four of the Black and Gold’s six aces, each serving up two. Sophomore Ava Leahy made 13 kills for a hitting percentage of .458. She also went up for a team high four blocks. Freshman Bella Hutchens matched her career high 12 kills, which she originally set against Georgia Southern on Oct. 19. Seven of Hutchens’ 12 kills against the Panthers were made in the third set. Senior Lulu Ambrose made 11 kills on the night.

Redshirt junior Addison Heidemann made 47 of the Mountaineers’ 57 assists in addition to 12 digs for her seventh career double-double. Junior Kenady Roper led the team with 15 digs and was followed by freshman Elise Marchal, who made 14 digs.

App State outpaced Georgia State in kills (60-48), aces (6-3), assists (57-45), and digs (64-55). The Mountaineers also edged past the Panthers with seven blocks to six. App State recorded a team hitting percentage of .312 on the evening. The Mountaineers and Panthers knotted the score five times over the course of the match and only traded the lead twice during the match (once in the second set and once in the fourth set).

App State commanded the first set, jumping ahead 2-0 after back-to-back kills from Marchal. The Mountaineers pulled ahead, 7-3, after kills from Heidemann, Leahy, and Hutchens. Steadily extending the deficit to 14-7, the Black and Gold built off a trio of Winterhoff kills and back-to-back kills from Leahy and Ambrose. As Georgia State chipped away at the Mountaineers’ lead, kills from Winterhoff, Ambrose, and Marchal, in addition to a Winterhoff ace, pushed App State ahead, 22-16. The Mountaineers sealed the set, 25-17, after a 3-0 run that featured kills from Ambrose and Leahy. App State recorded a team hitting percentage of .571 in the first set.

The Mountaineers jumped to an early lead in the second set, building off an early 3-0 run that included a kill from Winterhoff and a Farthing ace. App State extended the lead to 9-4 and held to a tight lead over the course of the set, but Georgia State steadily chipped away at the deficit, meeting App State at 18 all. A GSU error and block from the duo of Ambrose and Leahy moved the Mountaineers ahead, 20-18. Georgia State managed to take the set, 25-21 after a late 7-1 surge.

In the third set, App State once again took command, only allowing Georgia State to knot the score once at 1-1. Building off kills from Ambrose and Leahy, as well as a Marchal ace, App State pulled ahead, 4-2. Hutchens slammed down back-to-back kills to extend App State’s lead to 6-3. A 5-0 scoring run that featured kills from Hutchens and Winterhoff, as well as a block from the duo of Winterhoff and Marchal, put the Mountaineers up, 11-4. The Black and Gold jumped ahead, 16-9, as Hutchens and Winterhoff made kills and Winterhoff served up an ace. With a pair of 3-0 runs, App State took a 23-13 lead. A kill from Hutchens brought the Mountaineers to set point, 24-14. The Black and Gold took the set, 25-15, after a Marchal kill.

Despite leading two sets to one, App State trailed Georgia State throughout the fourth set. The Mountaineers worked to chip away at the Panthers’ lead despite the deficit. Down 14-7, the Black and Gold narrowed the deficit to three (16-13), with a Farthing ace, and kills from Winterhoff, Leahy, and Ambrose. GSU jumped ahead, 20-15, but the Mountaineers answered with a 7-0 run to take the lead, 22-20, for the first time in the set. The 7-0 run featured an ace from Heidemann as well as a kill and solo block from Hutchens. Georgia State mustered one final kill before Winterhoff brought App State to set point (24-21) with back-to-back kills. A kill from Ambrose clinched the set, 25-21, and the match, 3-1, for the Mountaineers.

By Layne McNary. BOONE, N.C. — The App State field hockey team defeated Queens by a score of 5-0 on Friday.

The Mountaineers (10-7, 6-1 MAC) came into today’s matchup after previously falling to No. 22 Old Dominion. The win against Queens (2-13) is theMountaineers’ seventh shutout of the season.

Freshman Darby Reyburn, junior Henriette Stegen, sophomore Florine Koopman, freshman Franziska Heyltjes and freshman Baylie Phillips all found the back of the cage against Queens, with Phillips’ goal the first of her collegiate career.

Claire Grenis and the Mountaineer defense held firm in today’s contest, holding Queens to one shot on the game. This is the second App State shutout in three games.

How it Happened

1st Quarter: The Mountaineers opened the game tallying two quick shots, both saved by Queens goalkeeper Madison Destefano. App State tallied five shots on goal to Queens zero, leaving both teams scoreless going into the second.

2nd Quarter: App State began to put on the offensive pressure, scoring two goals. Reyburn and Stegen found the back of the cage, extending the Mountaineer lead to two before the break. The Mountaineers tallied four shots in the period, in comparison to Queens only shot of the game with one.

3rd Quarter: The Mountaineers came out of the break with more offensive pressure, earning three penalty corners and eight shots. Florine Koopman scored her fourth goal of the season, coming off a Charlotte Bosma pass. Destefano tallied three more saves for the Royals, bringing her total to eight.

4th Quarter: It was more of the same for App State in the final period, earning five corners and 11 shots. Heyltjes found the back of the cage early in the period, scoring her second goal of the season on her birthday. Phillips scored the first goal of her collegiate career late in the contest, coming from an Emma Rondou pass. The Mountaineers finished the game winning 5-0, and out-shooting the Royals 30-1.

Up Next

The Mountaineers travel to Harrisonburg, Va. to take on conference opponent James Madison on Nov. 3. A win in regulation gives the Mountaineers the No. 2 seed in the MAC Tournament, along with being named MAC Regular Season Co-Champions. First touch is slated for 1 p.m.