Box Score DAVIE – Nova Southeastern rallied from a 12-8 deficit and the staved off two match points to win the fifth set 16-14 and upset #17 Florida Southern, 25-17, 21-25, 25-22, 25-15, 16-14, here Friday at the NSU Arena.
The Sharks (15-9 overall and 6-5 in the SSC) controlled the first set, allowing the Moccasins a lead at 1-0 and then striking for four straight points before leading the rest of the way. Florida Southern cut the NSU lead to 11-7 at one point, but couldn't get any closer as the Sharks outhit the Moccasins .314 to .121 to win the opening stanza 25-17.
The two teams battled back and forth in set two before Florida Southern took a 14-13 lead on a kill by Nicole Mattson. The Moccasins then ran off four straight points with Mattson serving to jump ahead 18-13. Anna Tovo led the surge with a pair of kills and FSC would not allow Nova Southeastern to get any closer than three points before winning 25-21. The Moccasin posted a match-best .350 hitting percentage in the second set which featured 11 tied scores and six lead changes.
The early going in set three was much of the same as the two teams played out to a 16-16 score before Caitlin Donahue recorded a kill to put NSU ahead 17-16 – a lead they would not relinquish taking a 2-1 lead with a 25-22 set victory.
Set four played out to a 8-8 tie before Florida Southern put together a 8-1 run behind two kills from Kayshia Brady and three NSU attack errors for a 16-9 lead. Tovo had four kills in the final five Moccasin points as Florida Southern won 25-15 to send the match into a deciding fifth set. The Mocs hit .290 in the set while the Sharks were held to a -.065 mark.
After the two teams traded points on the way to a 5-5 tie in set five, the Mocs took an 9-6 lead behind two kills from Mattson and one each from Kendall Marotti and Tovo. Florida Southern continued to battle and took a 14-11 lead on a kill from Rachel Mostert and a block from Mostert and Marotti. Donahue then got a kill to cut the FSC to 14-12. A second match point was spoiled on a Moccasin attack error as NSU tied the set, 14-14, on a kill by Denvyr Tyler-Palmer. Sydney Cook then served up a pair aces to wrap up the comeback for Nova Southeastern.
Tovo led the Moccasin attack with 25 kills and added 11 digs while Mattson recorded 15 kills and 19 digs. Bethany Besancenez led the Mocs with 21 digs and registered 54 assists in the match while Brindl Langley had a team-high 26 digs. Brady led the Mocs with 8 total blocks. The Moccasins out hit the Sharks .242 to .201 and won the dig battle, 92-88.
Florida Southern falls to 17-6 overall and 5-5 in the SSC with five of the team's overall losses coming on the road where they will play Saturday at 4 pm against Lynn University.
