The Statesboro Blue Devils volleyball team knocked off Richmond Hill 2-0 and Savannah Arts Academy 2-1 on Thursday to end the regular season on a high note.
    Just weeks ago, the Blue Devils were under .500 (10-11), but they notched off 10-straight wins to finish 20-11 (10-4 Region 3-AAAA).
    Statesboro beat Richmond HIll 25-17, 25-19 and Savannah Arts Academy 18-25, 25-16, 25-20.
    Setter Maggie Ray finished with 20 assists. Chante Branch (8 kills) and Tess Newton (6 kills) led the offense while middles Gen Okafor and Tierra Jackson combined for 8 kills and 6 blocks.
    Statesboro will go to Augusta on Saturday for the beginning of the Region 3-AAAA tournament where it will play three games to determine seeding, beginning with Glenn Hills.

Volleyball Eagles host Furman
    Georgia Southern caps an 11-match homestand by taking on Furman Friday at 6 p.m., in Hanner Fieldhouse.
    Both the Eagles and the Paladins enter the match with 3-0 Southern Conference records. Georgia Southern was picked second in the SoCon Preseason Coaches Poll, and Furman was picked third.
    Georgia Southern (15-2, 3-0 SoCon) has won 28 of its last 31 matches, dating back to last season, which includes a 15-1 mark in Hanner Fieldhouse. The Eagles are on a current nine-match winning streak, and all nine wins have come at home.
    GSU is coming off a 3-0 win over The Citadel Tuesday, while Furman topped Wofford 3-2 Wednesday night. The Paladins have won four in a row and seven of their last nine.

GSU women host ASU, WCU
    Georgia Southern women’s soccer (2-5-2) competes in its first home SoCon games this weekend at Erk Park.
    Friday night at 7 p.m., the Eagles take on Appalachian State, and on Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m., they face Western Carolina.
    Last time out, the Eagles defeated Chattanooga 2-1.         Alex Murphy and Nora El-Shami tallied one goal each, with assists by Cori Dulmage and Jennifer Wittick.

Eagles to honor military on Oct. 12
    Georgia Southern Athletics will honor the military as well as ROTC members at its next home football game on Oct. 12.
    The contest against The Citadel, will honor the military on the field, during the game and on the Eagles' uniforms. The team will wear patches from the Georgia National Guard and a number of different of military units or ships from across all branches of the military.
    Military members, active duty or retired, with a valid military ID can receive a free ticket by presenting the ID at a special Gate 4 ticket window on game day. Family members accompanying a military member can purchase additional tickets at a reduced rate. Season ticket holders unable to attend the game or who want to donate a ticket for a military member can do so by calling the ticket office at 1-800-GSU-WINS.
    Athletics will also be welcoming back members of the 3rd Infantry Division from Afghanistan prior to the 1 p.m. kickoff. At halftime, Southern Pride will perform a special Armed Forces Salute to honor all active duty or retired military members in attendance.

Olympic gold winner to visit EGSC
    William Mervin “Billy” Mills, also known as Makata Taka Hela, will speak at East Georgia State College on Thursday, Oct. 17, at 11 a.m., in the Luck Flanders Gambrell auditorium.
    Born in June, 1938, Mills is the second American Indian to win an Olympic gold medal. He accomplished this feat in the 10,000 meter run at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, becoming the only American ever to win the Olympic gold in this event.
    The presentation at East Georgia State College is free and open to the service region.

EFAA presents new scholarships
    The Eagle Football Alumni Association (EFAA), representing former Georgia Southern Football student-athletes, athletic trainers, managers, and coaches, awarded two inaugural scholarships, one each to a deserving student athletic trainer and student manager.
    Darryl Hopkins, president of the EFAA, and David Beaubien, president of the Eagle Fund, last week presented the scholarships to Erik Sanders, a graduate assistant in athletic training, and Jaycob Ragland, a student manager in the equipment room. 
    Each scholarship is in the amount of $1,500 and may be used for tuition, books or expenses.

GSU XC hits the road
    With the Southern Conference Championships just a month away, the Georgia Southern Cross Country team will have a chance to preview the course today at the Panther Cross Country Invitational.
    This is the inaugural year for the 5K race at Veteran’s Park in Hoover, Ala., which will be the site of the league’s meet in November. Start time for the women’s race is 3:30 p.m.
    As many as 10 women’s collegiate teams could run the course at Veteran’s Park in Friday’s meet, including the Birmingham Southern Panthers.
    The 82-acre park features professionally designed 5K and 8K trails and has played host to several national cross country meets.
 
    If you have a score or a story to report, please call the sports desk at (912) 489-9408 or email myogus@statesboroherald.com