Box Score SAINT LEO - Florida Southern Volleyball played its fourth match in five days here Tuesday evening as the Moccasins rally from a two set deficit fell short as they suffered a five-set defeat at the hands of Saint Leo (25-16, 25-18, 24-26, 20-25, 15-11) in Sunshine State Conference action at the Bowman Center.
With the loss, which was the Mocs second five-set defeat in the last three days as their rally from a 2-0 deficit fell short at Florida Tech on Saturday, FSC fell to 13-7 overall and 4-3 in the SSC, while SLU snapped its five-match losing skid and improved to 7-8 overall and 1-6 in the league.
In Tuesday's match, the Mocs offense struggled as they were held a .115 hitting percentage, including hitting under .100 in the first three sets and couldn't overcome a Lions offense that recorded 64 kills and hit .172 in the 140-minute match. Prior to the SLU match, the Mocs had hit .300 or better in its last two matches.
One of the biggest strengths for both teams in Tuesday's match was defense as both squads each collected 93 digs apiece and combined for a total of 15 blocks and 13 service aces. FSC finished with five aces and six blocks, while SLU had eight aces and nine blocks in the match.
Leading the way for the Mocs offensively was sophomore right side Gabby Fernandez (Tampa, Fla.), who finished with 15 kills and hit a team-best .237, including five kills in the Mocs 26-24 win in set three. In addition to Fernandez, senior outside hitter Anne Pietkiewicz (Winter Park, Fla.) had 11 kills and 13 digs for her eighth double-double of the season.
Defensively, the Mocs were paced by a career-high 25 digs from junior setter Ali Skayhan (Beaverton, Ore.). Along with her 25 digs, Skayhan added 35 assists and nine kills to finish one kill shy of her second career triple-double. The double-double was Skayhan's 14th of the season. Freshman libero Arielle Fernandez (Pacifica, Calif.) had 18 digs and freshman middle blocker Kayshia Brady (Crescent City, Fla.) had four blocks, including a career-high three solo blocks.
In the first set, the Mocs opened up a 9-3 lead, before SLU went on a 14-2 run to take a 17-11 lead. Pietkiewicz stopped the Lions’ 9-0 run with a kill to pull the Mocs within 17-12, but that would be as close as FSC would get as SLU closed the set on an 8-4 run to earn a 25-16 win. In the set, the Mocs hit .088 and the Lions recorded four aces to go with 12 kills.
SLU jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the second set and led 14-4, before the Mocs used a 6-2 run to pull within 16-10 following a service ace by Arielle Fernandez. After SLU pushed its lead to 18-12, the Mocs pulled within 20-15 following a kill by reigning SSC Offensive Player of the Week Gabby Fernandez, but they could get no closer as the Lions scored five of the set’s final eight points to collect a 25-18 win and take a 2-0 lead in the match.
In the first two sets, SLU recorded 25 kills, seven aces and three blocks, while FSC was held to a .076 hitting percentage as they had 20 kills and 14 attack errors on 79 attempts.
The Mocs scored the first point in set three to take the lead for the first time since set one and proceeded to jump out to a 5-2 edge, but the Lions would answer with a 7-1 run to take a 9-6 lead. The Mocs, who trailed 15-13, used a 6-1 run to take a 19-16 edge. Following the Mocs run, SLU used a 5-1 scoring spurt to take a 21-20 lead, before a solo block by Brady gave the Mocs a 22-21 lead. The Mocs would eventually close the set by scoring the final three points of the set, including consecutive kills from Gabby Fernandez to post a 26-24 win and force a fourth set.
In the fourth set, the Mocs continued the momentum gained by winning the third set as they pushed out to a 10-5 lead. After SLU pulled within 15-7, the Mocs used a 5-2 run to grab a 20-9 lead following another kill by Gabby Fernandez. The Lions responded with a 10-3 run to drop the Mocs lead to 23-19, before FSC closed the set scoring two of the final three points to tie the match and force a fifth and deciding set for the second time in the last three matches.
The Lions took control early on in the fifth set as they scored the first four points to take a 4-0 lead and led 10-7 before the Mocs pulled within 11-9 following a kill by sophomore outside hitter Kate Stromberg (Lexington, Ky.). SLU pushed its lead to 13-9, but the Mocs had one more push left in them as they scored two consecutive points to pull within 13-11. That would be as close as the Mocs would get as the Lions scored the final two points of the set to seal the victory and snap a three- match losing skid to the Mocs.
SLU was paced by the play of Lauren Campbell, who finished the night with a match-high 19 kills and added 22 digs and three blocks in the win. In addition to Campbell, Sami Vierk added 14 kills and two blocks, while Jordan Sisson had 11 kills and hit .588 and Molly Alexander recorded a match-high 33 digs.
The Mocs will look to return to the win column on Friday as they conclude the first half of SSC play with a 7 p.m. match against Nova Southeastern at Jenkins Field House. FSC will celebrate Breast Cancer Awareness Month at the match by wearing pink jerseys.
