Box Score LAKELAND, FL - Florida Southern College volleyball rallied from a 2-0 deficit to pick up a thrilling 3-2 win over No. 19 Tampa in a showdown of two of the best teams in the Sunshine State Conference on Tuesday night at Jenkins Field House. The No. 21 Moccasins (9-3, 3-1 SSC) defeated the Spartans (8-4, 2-2) for the second-straight time. The teams will meet again in Tampa on Nov. 1.
HOW IT HAPPENED
• The Mocs looked as if they may seize the early momentum as they worked their way to a 23-19 lead in the first set, but the Spartans were able to rally to tie it at 23-23. Florida Southern had a chance to put the contest away when it went up 24-23, but Tampa scored three-straight points to grab a 26-24 victory in the first set.
• The Spartans led throughout much of the second set before the Mocs were able to grab a 17-16 lead and force Tampa to take a timeout. Following the break, the Spartans would take back momentum by scoring four points in a row. FSC was able to respond with three-straight points of its own to make it 20-20, but Tampa would hang on for a 25-22 second-set win.
• Tampa looked as if it might come away with a sweep as it started off the third set by jumping out to a 13-8 lead, but a 7-1 run by the Mocs would give Florida Southern a 15-14 lead. The teams traded jabs over the next several points until FSC pulled away late for a 25-19 third-set victory.
• The Moccasins set the tone early in the fourth set by scoring the first four points and forcing Tampa to take a timeout. It would be all the momentum Florida Southern would need as it cruised to a 25-21 fourth-set win to tie the match at 2-2.
• The Spartans were able to snag an early two-point lead in the decisive fifth set, but Florida Southern hung tough and eventually tied the set at 10-10. The Mocs were able to push their lead to 13-11 before Tampa scored two points in a row to tie the set. After a Tampa service error, Rachel Mostert came up with the match-winning block as the Moccasins picked up a 15-13 fifth-set win for a 3-2 match victory.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
• FSC is 5-0 at home this season, has won 11-straight home matches and is 480-118 all-time in Jenkins Field House. Florida Southern improved to 54-68 all-time against the Spartans, including a 30-28 mark at home. The Mocs also improved to 103-198 all-time against ranked opponents.
• Anna Tovo finished with 23 kills in the match. It was her fourth 20-plus kill performance of the season and marked the 25th-straigt match that she has recorded double digit kills. She also added six digs and three service aces.
• Nicole Mattson had a career-high 20 kills to go along with eight digs. Mattson and Tovo are the first pair of Mocs to reach 20 kills in the same match since Ashley Martin and Jennifer King each had 20 in a 3-2 loss to No. 10 Truman State on Sept. 15, 2007. However, that match was played when NCAA volleyball matches were still played to 30 points.
• Bethany Besancenez tallied a career-high 61 assists in the match. It was her fourth-straight performance with at least 50 assists. She also added two block assists.
• Rachel Mostert had 12 kills to go along with her seven total blocks (3 solo, 4 assists).
• Brindl Langley tallied 24 digs against Tampa to move to 1,519 for her career. She needs 114 more to pass Daryl Bâby (1,632) for fourth all-time and 296 to pass Sara Stewart (1,814) for the school record.
UP NEXT
• Florida Southern wraps up a three-match homestand with matches against Barry (Sept. 27) and Lynn (Oct. 1) before hitting the road for five-straight contests.
VOLLEYBALL POST MATCH INTERVIEW VS. #19 TAMPA
