Courtesy: Dave Mayo (Appalachian, 1983) Senior Maja Jechorek tallied a match-high 14 kills against Furman.

GREENVILLE, S.C.- Appalachian State University volleyball was unable to hang with number one seeded Furman Saturday afternoon at Alley Gymnasium, as the Paladins ran past the Mountaineers defeating them 3-0.

It was all Furman early in first set action, as the Paladins grabbed a commanding 8-3 lead, taking advantage of two Appalachian attack errors and earning points off of kills by Natalie Braun.

The Apps cut their deficit to six points at 15-9 with seniors Becca Norris and Maja Jechorek pacing the Mountaineer attack. Unfortunately for the Black and Gold, it was all Furman from there on out, closing first set play on a 10-3 streak to take a 25-12 win.

Appalachian picked up its pace during the second set, despite the Paladins taking a 7-2 lead, with ASU errors continuing to be costly.

However, the Mountaineers came storming back pulling within three points at the 13-10 mark off of kills by Lauren Swecker and Maggie Seeds. FU tried to put the set out of reach, but ASU stuck around keeping within one point at 16-15.

The score was tied at 17 all and 18 apiece before Appalachian looked poised to even the match at one set each with a three point lead at the 21-18 mark, with Seeds and Jechorek both contributing on the offensive front.

Furman would not go away quietly, rallying a comeback to knot the set at 24 all, before two final kills by Natalie Braun and Caroline Adams gave FU the 26-24 second set win.

Furman continued to dominate, going up 14-9 off another Braun kill. Four points would be the narrowest of margins for the struggling Mountaineer squad finding themselves behind 17-13. A 3-0 FU run put the set out of reach, as FU scored five more points and ASU managed just two.

With the loss, ASU ends the season with a 14-17 overall record, while Furman improves to a stout 26-3 overall and advances to the Southern Conference Tournament championship match to defend its 2008 title. The defeat also snapped an Appalachian three-match winning streak and drops the Apps to 11-9 all-time in SoCon semifinal games. The Black and Gold also fall to 5-4 against Furman squads in the SoCon tournament.

The Mountaineers return nine players for 2010 and graduate three seniors in Cassie Engelgau, Maja Jechorek and Becca Norris.