LAKELAND, Fla. – Florida Southern College snapped a four-match Sunshine State Conference (SSC) skid on Saturday afternoon with a miraculous come-from-behind five-set victory over No. 20 nationally-ranked Nova Southeastern University.
The Mocs (7-5, 4-4 SSC) rebounded from losses in the first two sets and captured the third and fourth by identical 25-23 scores. Previously unbeaten Nova (13-1, 7-1 SSC) was then handed its first loss of the 2021 campaign after FSC closed the fifth set with a 15-10 triumph.
Not willing to go down without a fight, the Moccasin defense began to stymie the Nova attack as the match wore on. Although the Sharks hit a match-high .452 with 15 kills in the opening set, that percentage declined every set down to a paltry .077 in the fourth and match-worst .050 in the decisive fifth.
Southern also received another outstanding performance from
Mackenzie Petermann. The outside hitter from Richmond Hill, Georgia, was a workhorse all afternoon and led all FSC hitters in kills (22) and attack percentage (.419) despite taking a match-high 43 swings.
In Their Own Words
Head coach
Chris Keen when asked about the comeback win in front of a large crowd of FSC volleyball alumni, who were in town for the program's 45th anniversary celebration...
"It felt really great to have all the support from the alumni. You could feel their energy and it drew out team to another level, especially in the fifth set. Florida Southern volleyball has an incredible history and it was a really special moment to add tonight in front of those players and coaches who built such a great tradition."
How It Happened
- The Sharks looked very much like a top-20 team in the first two sets. NSU opened with a match-high .452 attack percentage in the first set, and followed that with 17 kills in the second.
- The third set did not start promisingly for the Mocs, either, as Nova jumped out to a 7-2 lead.
- With its back against the wall, Florida Southern slowly but surely found its way back into contention and evened the third at 19-19 on an Erica Ronda ace.
- Trailing 23-22, Petermann, Emma Shaddix, and Jana Gilic knocked down a trio of kills to seal the set.
- Florida Southern jumped ahead, 19-12, in the fourth, only to see NSU claw its way back to even the score at 23-all.
- Petermann dropped the go-ahead point with a kill, which was followed by a Nova attack error.
- Feeling the momentum, the final set couldn't have started any better; Ronda served up an ace and Tierra Porter spiked a loud solo block that brought the Moccasin faithful in attendance to a load roar.
Inside the Numbers
- Florida Southern earned its first win over a nationally-ranked opponent since knocking off No. 21 West Florida in the first round of the 2018 NCAA South Regional.
- The Mocs are 2-0 in five-set matches in 2021.
- FSC's .262 attack percentage against Nova marks the team's second-best of the fall season.
- Petermann's 22 kills are a single-match season-high, and she earned her first double-double with 12 digs.
- Ali Travis also had a double-double with 11 kills and 10 digs.
- Shaddix and Porter both had eight kills and both hit above .350.
- Setter Cassidy Markel handed out 47 assists for the Mocs.
- Libero Beatrice Formilan was tied with a match-high 17 digs.
Up Next
On Tuesday, October 12, Florida Southern will travel to St. Petersburg, Florida, for a conference tilt against the Eckerd Tritons at 7:00 p.m.
