Mocs Strike Down #25 Sharks, 3-1

LAKELAND, Fla. – The Florida Southern volleyball team earned its second win of the season over a top-25 ranked team Thursday night as the Moccasins knocked off No. 25 Nova Southeastern in convincing fashion. FSC held the Sharks to their lowest hitting percentage of the season at .061 while producing a season-best 15 blocks in the contest.
 
The victory improves Florida Southern's record to 8-4 on the season including 3-2 in Sunshine State Conference play. The Sharks fell to 9-4 overall and 3-3 in league action. The loss is the second-straight for the Sharks after knocking off the defending National Champions Tampa while the Mocs are currently riding a three-match win streak.
 
Senior Ali Travis and junior Mackenzie Petermann led the way offensively Thursday night as they each finished with 12 kills in the victory. The pair posted double-doubles with Travis finishing with 18 digs and Petermann chipping in 13. Petermann also did some damage at the net as she posted a pair of solo blocks and one block assist. Petermann also was the target of 55 of the Sharks' 81 serves and gave up just one receiving error.  
 
Graduate student Emma Shaddix and senior Madison Barton each added eight kills to the effort. Shaddix also picked up five block assists while Barton posted career-highs in kills (8) and blocks (3). Senior Jana Gilic was a force at the net with a team-best seven blocks including one solo stop. She also added seven kills to her total. Sophomore Madison Fowler had a career-high tying six blocks for the second-straight match including a match-high three solo stops.
 
Graduate student libero Beatrice Formilan led the way in the back with 22 digs while also handing out seven assists. Senior Mika Garza dished out 25 assists while digging up 12 balls. Junior Cassidy Markel finished with 13 assists and nine digs, just shy of a double-double.
 
The Mocs used a strong defensive effort to take down the Sharks. The 15 total blocks are the most for Florida Southern since Oct. 28, 2017 when FSC posted 17 blocks in a 3-2 win over Lynn. The last time FSC had 15 or more blocks in a four set match came all the way back on Dec. 3, 2015 when the Mocs had 16 blocks versus North Alabama in the first round of the NCAA South Region Championship.
 
The Mocs hit .156 for a the match as the Sharks had a strong blocking performance of their own, posting 13 in the loss.
 
The opening set was the closest of the four sets as it featured seven tie scores and four lead changes. FSC jumped out to the early 7-3 lead and held the lead until Nova was able to battle back and tie the set at 14-14.  NSU used a 7-1 run to tie and overtake the Mocs and lead 16-14. The advantage woulkd stay with the Sharks until FSC tied the set once again at 19-19. With just six points remaining for a set victory both teams pushed hard to the end. FSC took a quick 21-19 lead but the Sharks would not go down easy as three-straight points put them ahead 22-21. A kill by Shaddix followed by back-to-back attack errors from the Sharks gave the Mocs their first set point of the night. NSU fought off the first set point but a block by Shaddix and Gilic ended the set, 25-23, in the Mocs' favor.
 
Florida Southern never saw the lead in the second set despite the close period. The Mocs never trailed by more than four points the entire set but the Sharks were able to hold them off for a 25-22 victory. The third set began with a NSU point but that sparked a 11-1 run by the Mocs who took a 11-2 lead early in the period. The Sharks battled their way back into the set but they were never able to catch the Mocs who went on to win 25-21. The fourth and final set was all Mocs once again as a 13-3 run midway through the set blew things open before FSC won the match 25-11.
 
The Mocs will be back in action this Saturday, Sept. 24 as they host Lynn in another Sunshine State Conference battle. FSC is looking to tie its longest win streak of the season at four matches. First serve is scheduled for 4 p.m.
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