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• Sophomore Haley Barnes racked up seven kills in the first set and finished with 12 on the afternoon.
• Senior Annemarie Chin starred defensively for the Panthers with a match-best 17 digs.
• HPU will be right back in action against Wofford at 4:00 p.m. to bring their play in the Benson Hospitality Invitational to a close.

ATHENS, Ga. – The High Point University volleyball team pushed Georgia in all three sets, but fell 3-0 to the Bulldogs in Athens, Ga. on Saturday afternoon.
 
Sophomore Haley Barnes keyed the Panthers attack with a match-high 12 kills – including seven in the first set – to go with seven digs. Freshman Abby Broadstreet and junior Megan Kennedy each registered six kills for HPU.
 
Senior Annemarie Chin anchored the Purple & White's defense with 17 digs while freshman Jordan Hefner posted one solo block and four block assists. Meanwhile, sophomore Carly Jimenez racked up 18 assists and senior Gabi Mirand chipped in with 13.
 
The Panthers won the digs battle 51-44, but we're out-hit .200 to .143. Both squads served up five aces and dished out 35 assists.
 
The Bulldogs built a 6-4 lead before back-to-back thunderous kills by Barnes knotted the score at 6-6. UGA responded with a 3-0 run and maintained the lead until a block by Hefner and Kennedy gave the Panthers a 12-11 advantage. Kennedy, then, added an ace to give HPU their first two-point lead of the match (14-12).
 
However, UGA pulled ahead with a 4-2 stretch before junior Greta Griswold's service ace brought HPU back into a tie (16-16). The Panthers finally moved back ahead at the 20-19 mark before UGA pulled even at 21-21. The teams, then, traded points before the Bulldogs blocked Barnes' attacked to win the set 26-24.
 
The home squad opened the second set on a 6-1 run and built a 9-3 advantage. However, a kill by freshman Molly Livingston and an ace from Barnes sparked a 3-0 spurt for HPU (9-6). The Purple & White continued to battle back and knotted the score at 15-15 on Barnes' ninth kill of the afternoon.
 
The teams traded points until the 18-18 mark. However, the Bulldogs closed out the set with a 7-3 run to take a 25-21 win.
 
The Panthers came out hot in the third set behind Kennedy's two early kills and built an 8-7 lead. The lead alternated from there until UGA posted a 4-1 stretch to take a 15-12 advantage. HPU wouldn't go quietly, however, and when an ace from Livingston was followed by a UGA attack error the Panthers were back within one (18-17). 
 
The Bulldogs responded by upping their lead to three before Broadstreet's back-to-back kills made it 20-19. However, UGA once again closed the set strong with a 5-2 spurt to earn a 3-set victory.
 
The Panthers wrap up their appearance in the Benson Hospitality Invitational at 4 p.m. on Saturday against Wofford. The Purple & White will be back in the Millis Center on Tuesday for their home opener against Elon on Tuesday, Sept. 1 at 7:00 p.m.
 
#GoHPU