Box Score TAMPA – Jessica Wagner and Marissa Lisenbee combined for 23 kills as 8th-ranked Tampa downed 17th-ranked Florida Southern, 25-18, 25-19, 25-13, in Sunshine State Conference volleyball action Saturday afternoon here at the Bob Martinez Sports Center. Wagner led the defending national champions with 13 kills while Lisenbee added 10 more.
Anna Tovo topped Florida Southern with 11 kills with Kayshia Brady and Nicole Mattson each adding four kills. Brindl Langley led the Moccasins defensively with 11 digs with Tovo recording six digs while Bethany Besancenez posted 19 assists.
With the scored tied at 15-all in the first set, Tampa rattled off five straight points behind four Wagner kills to take a 20-15 lead, before going on to post the 25-18 win.
In the second set, the Moccasins trailed by two, 18-16, but could pull no closer the rest of the way with Tampa prevailing 25-19. The Spartans jumped out to a 10-2 lead in the third set before winning 25-13.
The loss drops the Moccasins to 21-8 overall and 8-7 in the SSC, while Tampa, who clinched its 11th consecutive SSC title on Thursday with its four-set win over Florida Tech, improves to 24-5 and 13-1 on the year.
Florida Southern will honor its four senior players – Kayshia Brady, Kendall Marotti, Lauren Shlemon, and Bridgette Ward – prior to Friday's 7 pm home match against Palm Beach Atlantic before closing out the regular season on Saturday at home at 4 pm against Barry.
