SAINT LEO, Fla. – The Florida Southern College volleyball team shook off a first-set loss with a tremendous effort in a 3-1 victory over Saint Leo University in the team's 2021 Sunshine State Conference (SSC) opener.
The Moccasins improved to 4-1 overall and 1-0 in the SSC following their first conference match since the 2019 fall campaign. Although the Mocs had to shake off a little bit of rust in the opening set, FSC cruised to three straight wins by scores of 25-13, 25-18, and 25-17 to seal the victory.
In Their Own Words
Head coach
Chris Keen when asked about adjusting after the first-set loss en route to a big win...
"We made a few too many unforced errors in that first set. Once we committed to extending rallies, then we were able to capitalize on scoring points in transition. Anytime you get a win on the road in the SSC, it's a huge accomplishment. The entire team should be really proud of their performance on and off the court tonight."
How It Happened
- The Mocs won the first five points of the first set, but errors proved to be costly. Southern hit a minus-.026 with 13 attack errors, which helped the Lions win a 25-22.
- Not only did FSC attack more efficiently in the second set, but the team defended the net, too. Five of the Mocs' 12 blocks from the night were logged in the second, including back-to-back combo blocks from Tierra Porter with Cassidy Markel and Zoe Lowe to put FSC ahead 17-9.
- Porter had a hand in every block in the second, resulting in one solo and four assisted rejections.
- The Mocs sided out at an incredible 83% (15-of-18) in the third set, the team's best percentage of the match.
- Ali Travis recorded an ace that forced Saint Leo to use a timeout in the third while trailing 17-14. Markel and Emily Crescenzi threw down another block out of the timeout to prevent the Lions from stealing the momentum.
- Offensively, the fourth set was Florida Southern's best, as the Moccasins plastered the ball with a .500 attack percentage (18k-4e-28ta).
- Eight of the final 11 points in the set were earned with kills.
- Travis and Crescenzi led the way with a team-best six kills in the final set.
Inside the Numbers
- Tonight's win snapped a two-match losing streak to the Lions, and the Mocs are now 76-12 all-time against Saint Leo.
- Florida Southern produced season highs in multiple categories, including kills (58), attack percentage (.289), assists (56), and blocks (12).
- Head-to-head, the Mocs finished with more aces (6-to-1) than the Lions tonight.
- In her 2021 debut, Travis led the team with a match-best 16 kills to go along with 12 digs for a double-double.
- Emma Shaddix also reached double figures with 10 kills, followed by Crescenzi and Lowe with nine apiece.
- Porter's eight total blocks are the most by a Moc since Courtney Charneco had nine in a match against Palm Beach Atlantic on October 26, 2019.
- Markel posted 50 assists from the setter position to fuel FSC's strong hitting performance.
Up Next
Florida Southern's 2021 home opener is on Saturday, September 18, as the Mocs host Eckerd College inside Streamline Sale Arena at Jenkins Field House at 4:00 p.m.
