LAKELAND, Fla. – The Florida Southern College volleyball team return home and bring the heat with them as the Moccasins defeated St. Leo University at home at the Streamline Sale Arena in Lakeland, Fla.
The Mocs improved to 11-8 overall and 7-5 against SSC opponents with Tuesday's 3-1 (21-25, 25-18,25-16, 25-11) win over the Lions (9-14, 3-9 SSC).
How It Happened
1st Set | The Mocs couldn't find their rhythm in the first set as they got down early 10-5 and didn't find the momentum to take the lead.
- Southern would lead in digs in set one with six digs from libero Beatrice Formilan and in attacks with 10 from Ali Travis.
- FSC outhit St. Leo with 36 attacks to their 28, while the Lions only had one more kill than the Mocs with 13 to their 12.
- Where the Mocs really showed their strengths would be serving as they had five serving aces.
2nd Set | Erica Ronda started the set out hot for the Mocs with back-to-back aces making it 2-0. FSC went on another run to take a big 6-1 lead before the Lions would call a timeout. St. Leo went on a run to come within one of the Mocs, but a quick side out gave the ball back to the Mocs allowing Megan Carron to close out set two with an ace.
- Three errors in a row from St. Leo put the Lions just one away from tying with the Mocs, but a service error followed by a kill from Travis put FSC up 15-12.
- Mackenzie Petermann continued to make herself known in the second set with three consecutive kills allowing the Mocs to jump out to a 21-15 lead.
3rd Set | It was deja vu in the third set as both teams went back and forth in the beginning but Southern never allowed St. Leo to come more than one-point close to their lead.
- The Mocs ended the set on a 6-2 run after a Lions timeout.
- Travis would be the MVP of this set tallying a total of four kills the last three coming in the 6-2 run at the end after the St. Leo timeout.
- Carron ended the third set the same as the second with an ace to finish the set 25-16.
4th Set | FSC dominated the final set going on a 10-4 start before the Lions called a timeout to break the Mocs stride. Once St. Leo finally found their footing the Mocs were already up by 11 points and ran away with the competition taking the game in four sets.
- Emma Shaddix helped Southern during the run with back-to-back kills to make it 15-5.
- Peterman led the way in set four with six kills to add to her impressive resume of 15 kills for the night
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- Petermann and Travis led the way for Southern each tacking on 15 kills for the evening.
- Libero, Formilan hit a season-high of 31 digs in tonights win over the Lions.
- The Mocs had a stellar defensive performance tallying 10 total blocks, three solo in the win.
- Sophomore middle blocker Emily Crescenzi finished in double-digits with 11 total kills, earning a new season in kills.
- Freshman, Devinn Bell also made her name known dishing out 50 assists another season high for the Mocs.
UP NEXT
The Mocs will hit the road to face two SSC opponents in Barry and Florida Tech on Friday and Saturday. FSC first serve will be against Barry at 7:00 p.m. on Friday.
