GREENVILLE, N.C. – Senior Sydney Biniak and freshmen Lauren Moussaid both registered double-digit kills to propel the William & Mary volleyball team to a 3-1 (25-16, 25-22, 21-25, 25-17) triumph over Georgia State in its final match of the East Carolina Invitational on Saturday afternoon. With the Tribe's victory, both teams conclude opening weekend with 1-2 records.
 
W&M put together its best offensive showcase of the weekend on the backbone of a .303 attack percentage, totaling 54 kills in 119 attempts with just 18 errors. On the other side of the net, GSU could only muster a .187 hitting percentage against the Tribe defense. The Green and Gold also won the blocking battle 6-to-4 and landed six service aces.
 
Biniak led all players with 17 kills, adding a service ace and assisting on a pair of blocks. The outstanding performance solidified her spot on the All-Tournament Team. The Elkridge, Md., native concluded the Invitational averaging 3.40 kills per set, 0.60 blocks per set and 3.80 points per set.

Moussaid earned her first career double-double behind 12 kills and 11 digs in just three collegiate matches. Rookie Kate Dedrick continued her productive weekend with nine kills in 18 tries with only three errors (.333 hitting percentage).
 
The Green and Gold raced out to a 25-16 final in game one and held off the Panthers, 25-22, in the second frame. However, GSU prevented the sweep by taking the third set, 25-21. The Tribe answered in the fourth set as Moussaid brought down the hammer for an early 10-3 advantage. Sophomore Autumn Brenner set up Biniak to help W&M reach the 20-point mark, and Biniak crushed another spike for a 22-16 Tribe lead. Rookie Taylor Heishman delivered set point on a kill and a GSU attack error ended the contest.
 
Notes

• The Tribe improves its all-time record over Georgia State to 12-4.
• Biniak has now reached 716 career kills to replace Mallory Brickerd '15 (708 kills) as the program's third-best all-time leader in the 25-point scoring era.
• First-year player Katie Turner achieved her best outing of the weekend behind 14 digs and a service ace.
• Brenner (24) and junior Katie Kemp (25) combined for 49 assists, sharing the load from the setter spot the entire weekend.
• Sophomore Casey Foote recorded her highest attack percentage (.333) of the weekend as she posted five kills in 15 attempts without error. The Prospect, Ky., native also chipped in five digs.
• Rookie Julia Brown made a solo stop in every match of the tournament. She turned in a well-rounded effort against GSU, tallying five kills, seven digs, three total blocks and two aces.
• Heishman was perfect on the attack as she finished the evening 5-for-5, while assisting on a pair of blocks.
• The Tribe notched a pair of 16-kill frames, which occurred in the second and fourth period. The team accomplished a spectacular .556 hitting percentage in the fourth to avoid a fifth set. In the dominating first set, the Green and Gold held the Panthers to a -.067 hitting percentage.

Quotable
"I'm really proud of this team for their grit and determination. They did a great job of playing UNITED and fighting! The returners did a wonderful job of leading this team and I am so proud of them. I finally feel like we are playing Tribe Volleyball and I look forward the future." – Head Coach Melissa Ferris
 
Up Next
The Tribe remain on the road with a mid-week matchup against in-state foe VCU on Aug. 29 at 7 pm. W&M will then compete in front of its home crowd for the first time this season during the Colonial Classic. The three-day tournament runs from Sept. 1-3 and the participating programs include Morehead State, Savannah State and Davidson.