BOX SCORE

WINSTON SALEM, N.C. – The Jacksonville State volleyball team rode easy wins in the first two sets on Friday afternoon to a 3-1 victory over Furman at the Wake Forest Deacon Invitational in the Gamecocks season opener.

The Gamecocks (1-0) cruised to a pair of 25-16 wins in the first two sets before the Paladins (0-1) battled back to win the third set, 25-17. JSU pulled away late in game four to put the match away with a 25-23 win. 

"I was very pleased with our intensity level from the beginning and how we responded in the fourth game after they turned up their level of play in game three," JSU head coach Rick Nold said. "Furman is a really solid team, so we are happy to start the season with such a quality win."

Junior Caitlin Vorbeck hit .433 en route to a match-high 17 kills to lead the Gamecock offense. The Raytown, Mo., native led a trio of Gamecocks with double-digit kills. Senior Brittney Whitten notched a double-double with 13 kills and 12 digs, while junior Kara Slater added 11 kills on a .333 attack percentage. Junior setter Brooke Schumacher paced the JSU offensive attack with 36 of the team's 41 assists.

JSU also had three players in double figures in the digs category with sophomore Lauren Harkins picking up 29 to lead all players. The Louisville, Ky., native finished the four-set match just two digs shy of her career high. In her collegiate debut, freshman Alyx Schulte added 13 digs to go along with three kills. Whitten was the other Gamecock with 10 or more digs on a night where JSU's opponent hit just .170 as a team.

The Paladins were led on both sides of the net by Natalie Braun, who had nine kills and 12 digs, both team highs. Kelsey Salava dished 35 assists in the loss.

The Gamecocks will wrap up their opening weekend on Saturday, when they take on host Wake Forest at 11:30 a.m. CT before facing Charlotte at 3:30 p.m. CT. Live stats for all of the Gamecocks' matches in the Deacon Invitational are available at www.jsugamecocksports.com.