Box Score LAKELAND - Thanks to a combined 16 kills and a combined .462 hitting percentage from freshmen Allie Geary and Anna Tovo, Florida Southern posted a three-set Sunshine State Conference victory over Nova Southeastern (25-23, 25-18, 25-17) at Jenkins Field House. The victory was FSC's seventh consecutive at home this season in straight sets.
Geary, who is a native of DeLand, Fla., finished the match with a career-high eight kills and hit .500 in her second consecutive start, while Tovo, who is a native of Aiken, S.C., tallied new career highs in kills (8), digs (3) and blocks (3) to help the Moccasins improve to 9-4 overall and 5-1 in the SSC on the season. Nova Southeastern fell to 8-7 overall and 3-3 in the SSC with the setback.
"Our two freshmen (Allie and Anna) played really well not only today, but also in our match on Friday against Barry," Moccasins head coach Jill Stephens said following her team's seventh home win of the season. "It was nice to have them step up this weekend."
For the second straight match, the Mocs got a balanced offensive attack as four players recorded five or more kills as senior outside hitter Kate Stromberg (Lexington, Ky.) led the way with 10 kills and added six digs. In addition to Geary and Tovo, sophomore middle blocker Rachel Mostert (Clearwater, Fla.) chipped in with seven kills, added three blocks and hit .545 as the Mocs hit .270 as a team in the victory. FSC hit .270 in Saturday's win.
"It was a good weekend for us to come away with two more big wins at home," said Stephens, who is now 303-154 in her 14th season as the Mocs coach.
While its offense was once efficient, the Mocs defense was also strong as they recorded 56 digs and six total team blocks and also recorded six service aces, including three aces from sophomore outside hitter Brindl Langley(Camas, Wash.) in the win. In the Mocs two matches this weekend, Langley finished with seven aces.
"Brindl did a great job with her serving, not only today, but the entire weekend," the Mocs coach added.
The Mocs defense was paced by 15 digs from redshirt senior setter Ali Skayhan (Beaverton, Ore.), while senior libero Catherine Brusie (North Branch, Mich.) added 12 digs. Along with Mostert's three blocks, junior right side hitter Kendall Marotti (LaBelle, Fla.) had two blocks, nine blocks and added five kills in the win. FSC's defense also held NSU to a .121 hitting percentage.
The opening set was a back-and-forth affair as it featured eight ties and six lead changes. The Mocs jumped out to a 6-4 lead in the set, before the Sharks used a 10-6 scoring run to push out to a 14-12 lead. After kill by Geary brought the Mocs within a point at 14-13, NSU used two kills from Dana Holger sandwiched around a Stromberg kill to push its lead out to 16-14. The Mocs, though, used a 5-2 run capped by a Marotti kill to take a 19-18 lead, before NSU retied the set at 19 following a kill by Natalie Melcher. FSC would score two straight points to take a 21-19 lead, before NSU rallied to score four consecutive points to take a 23-21 lead. The Mocs would rally to score the set's final four points to post its 25-23 win. In the set, the Mocs hit .333 and had four blocks, while NSU hit .178 and recorded five aces.
In the second set, the Mocs jumped out to an 8-6 lead and led 15-10 when the Sharks used a 3-1 run to drop FSC's lead to 16-13. The Mocs would respond with a 6-3 run capped by a Mostert kill to push out to a 22-16 advantage. After NSU scored two of the next three points to pull within 23-18, the Mocs closed out the set by scoring the final two points, including sealing the 25-18 win on an ace by Langley. In the second set, FSC hit .263 and held NSU to an .032 hitting percentage.
NSU opened the third set with a kill by Melcher, before the Mocs scored seven of the next nine points to push out to a 7-3 lead. The Sharks, though, would respond with a 9-6 run to push within 13-12. The run was aided by five Moccasin errors. FSC would answer with a 7-3 scoring run capped by back-to-back kills from Mostert to push out to a 20-15 lead. After a kill by Katie Pyles brought the Sharks within 20-16, the Mocs would close out the set and the match by scoring five of the final six points to seal its 25-17 win.
NSU was paced by 12 kills and a .308 hitting percentage from Melcher, while Caitlin Donahue added six kills, two aces, two blocks and hit .385 in the loss. The Mocs held NSU's Sydney Cook to four kills and an -.069 hitting percentage as she entered the match averaging 2.88 kills per set. Cook, though, did add five digs and three blocks for the Sharks.
FSC will conclude its three match homestand on Tuesday, Oct. 7 as they host Saint Leo in a 7 p.m. match at Jenkins Field House. SLU enters the match sporting a 9-4 overall record and a 4-2 mark in the SSC.
