Marshall Volleyball Preview
By: Connor Brown, FM88 Sports
Huntington, W.Va. – Marshall volleyball will open Sun Belt Conference play this week as the Thundering Herd welcomes the Georgia State Panthers to the Cam Henderson Center for a pair of matches on Thursday, Sept. 24, and Friday, Sept. 25.
The Thundering Herd (7-4) enters conference play with momentum after sweeping the Morehead State Eagles in back-to-back matches to close out its non-conference schedule. Marshall finished the weekend this past Saturday with a 3-0 victory in Morehead, Kentucky, behind 15 kills from Maddie Smith and a career high .542 hitting percentage from the transfer student.
Making the journey to Huntington are the Georgia State Panthers (6-6), who finished non-conference play with a 1-2 showing at the Mercer Invitational. The Panthers closed the weekend with a five-set loss to Montana State after holding a 2-1 advantage in the match.
Thursday’s matchup will feature two offenses with multiple options at the net. Marshall has received production throughout its front line this season, while Smith enters conference play coming off a 32-kill weekend against Morehead State. Emma Barnett has also remained a consistent option for the Herd with having 10 kills this past Saturday, while Kahea Carvalho has helped distribute the attack from the setter position with her 299 assists on the season.
Georgia State brings its own offensive threats to Huntington, highlighted by Akira Burt and Sophia Johnson. The dynamic duo combined for 41 kills in the Panthers’ five-set battle against Montana State, with Burt recording 21 and Johnson adding 20.
The matchup could also be decided at the net and along the back row. Beatrice Ciccarelli has provided Marshall with a presence as its main blocker, while Georgia State’s Jayden Eaker gives the Panthers another threat defensively at the net with her 6’2” frame. Georgia State also received 24 digs from Libero Sigrun Jonsdottir in its most recent match.
For Marshall, the series stands for more than another pair of home matches. After navigating 11 non-conference contests, every match moving forward will count toward the Sun Belt standings as the Herd begins its push through conference play, and Marshall will attempt to make it back to the Sun Belt Conference tournament in back-to-back seasons under head coach Heather Stout.
With non-conference play now in the rearview mirror, Marshall will look to the road ahead and carry its recent momentum into its first Sun Belt test of the season against Georgia State.
Fans can find live coverage of the series on FM88.1 or streaming at www.marshall.edu/wmul on Stream 1 with FM88 Sports’ Max Chaffin and Victoria Lavonne-Wilburn on the call with pregame coverage scheduled for 5:45 p.m. and first serve at 6:00 p.m. Additional coverage will also be available on X through @WMUL_Sports.