Box Score BOCA RATON - Florida Southern rallied from a set down here Friday evening to post a four-set victory over Lynn (25-27, 25-17, 25-21, 25-20) in Sunshine State Conference action at the de Hornle Center to extend its win streak to 11 straight matches. The 11-match win streak is tied for sixth-longest active streak in Division II women's volleyball.
The 18th-ranked Moccasins, who improved to 18-4 overall and 9-1 in the SSC, won for the only the second time this season when dropping the first set of the match as FSC entered the match just 1-4 on the year when losing the first set, while being 16-0 when winning the first set. Additionally, the Mocs pushed its SSC win streak to six consecutive matches since falling in four sets at No. 1 Tampa on Sept. 27.
Prior to Friday night's match, the only time this season the Mocs had won a match when dropping the first set came in its five-set victory at then 18th-ranked Palm Beach Atlantic on Oct. 13.
The Mocs victory was keyed by a defense that recorded 88 digs and had 13 total team blocks and held the Fighting Knights to a .134 attack percentage for the four sets, including limiting them to just a .116 hitting percentage over the final three sets after allowing LU to hit .209 in its 27-25 first set win.
Four Mocs finished the night with double-digit digs, including senior libero Catherine Brusie (North Branch, Mich.) and sophomore outside hitter Brindl Langley (Camas, Wash.) each recording 20 digs in the win, while senior outside hitter Kate Stromberg (Lexington, Ky.) added 19 digs and also had 11 kills for her third double-double of the season and redshirt senior setter Ali Skayhan (Beaverton, Ore.) had 12 digs and added 42 assists for her 13th double-double of the year and was four kills shy of her fourth career triple-double.
On the blocking front, four Mocs recorded at least three blocks, led by a team high six blocks from junior right side hitter Kendall Marotti (LaBelle, Fla.) and four blocks each from Stromberg and sophomore middle blocker Rachel Mostert (Clearwater, Fla.). On the night, the Mocs had a season-high tying seven solo blocks and added 12 block assists in the victory.
In addition to Stromberg's 11 kills, the Mocs offense was paced by a 15 kills night from junior middle blockerKayshia Brady (Welaka, Fla.). Brady also finished the night with a team-best .556 attack percentage as the Mocs hit .211 in the win as they had 56 kills and 22 attack errors on 161 total attempts. Langley and Marrotti each added eight kills for the match.
The Mocs jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the opening set, before LU used 9-2 run to turn a 6-4 deficit into a 13-8 lead. The Mocs, though, would score six of the next eight points to pull within 15-14, before LU used an 8-3 run capped by a Lydia West kill to push its lead to 23-17. FSC wouldn't go away, though, as they answered with a 6-0 spurt capped by a Lynn error to tie the set at 23-all. The teams would trade points until the Fighting Knight scored the final two of the set's final three points to post s 27-25 win. The set one by Lynn snapped a streak of 18 consecutive sets won by the Mocs.
Leading 1-0 in the match, Lynn jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second set and led 5-2 when the Mocs used an 11-4 scoring run capped by back-to-back kill from Brady and Marotti to push out to a 13-9 lead. The Fighting Knights would attempt a comeback as they answered with a 7-5 run to pull within 18-16, but would get no closer as the Mocs closed out the set by scoring seven of the final nine points to seal its 25-17 win and even the match at a set apiece. In the second set, the Mocs offense hit .283 and held LU to a .132 hitting percentage.
The third set was another back-and-fourth affair as it featured 11 ties and three lead changes. The Mocs jumped out to an early 3-1 lead, before LU used a 12-9 run capped by a service error from junior defensive specialist/setter Lauren Shelmon (Tampa, Fla.) to push its lead to 13-12. LU's lead would grow to 15-13, before the Mocs responded with a 7-1 run capped by a Brady kill to take a 20-16 lead. After a kill by Liga Stautniece stopped the Mocs run, FSC would use a 5-4 run to close out the set to post a 25-21 win and take a 2-1 lead in the match. The difference in the set was a 4-2 edge in service aces by the Mocs as Skayhan had two, while Langley and senior defensive specialist Jasmine Childress (Muncie, Ind.) each had one ace.
Holding a 2-1 lead in the match, the Mocs jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the fourth set, before LU answered with a 5-3 run to pull within 8-6. The Mocs, though, would score eight of the next 14 points to push its lead to 16-12. Lynn would not go away as they used a 7-6 run to drop FSC's lead to 22-19. That would be as close as the Fighting Knights would get as the Mocs closed out the set and the match by scoring three of the final four points, including freshman outside hitter Anna Tovo (Aiken, S.C.) and Skayhan recording back-to-back kills to give the Mocs a 24-19 lead.
Lynn (10-10 overall, 3-6 SSC) was paced by nine kills apiece from West and Claire Angelich, while Marissa Tandron and Katie Knight added eight kills in the loss. Defensively, four Fighting Knights recorded 13 or more digs as Lynn finished with 75 digs on the night. Tandron finished the match with 20 digs and added 36 assists for a double-double, while Nikki Haben added 16 digs and Knight chipped in with 15 digs and Angelich recorded a match-high eight blocks on the night.
As a team, the Fighting Knights hit .134 as team and had 11 total team blocks and four aces on the night. The Mocs finished with six aces.
FSC will now take a week off before returning to action next Friday, Oct. 31 as they host No. 1 ranked Tampa in a 7 p.m. Halloween night match at Jenkins Field House. The Spartans picked up a four-set win over the Mocs in Tampa on Sept. 27.
