Florida Southern Sweeps Lee to Open Crossover Play

ORLANDO, Fla. – The Florida Southern College volleyball team opened up South Region Crossover play Friday night in Orlando, Fla. as the Moccasins took down Lee University out of the Gulf South Conference, 3-0. Senior Mackenzie Petermann paced the Mocs with a double-double as she tallied team-highs in both kills (12) and digs (14).
 
The victory moves FSC's record to 12-6 on the season while the Flames out of Lee fell to 13-11 overall. The Mocs also improved to 17-5 all-time at the event.
 
Petermann tallied her 25^th career double-double and ninth of 2023. She not only took care of business in both kills and digs but she also chipped in a service ace and a block. Junior Zoe Lowe finished second on the squad with eight kills while taking just 12 swings. She committed two hitting errors and finished with an impressive .500 hitting percentage. She also added four digs and a block to her totals.
 
Junior setter Kiersten Kraus finished third on the team in kills with seven while dishing out 14 assists and digging up seven balls. She also posted a pair of blocks including one solo stop. Graduate student Elena Djokovic and senior Emily Crescenzi each tallied six kills in the victory. Djokovic added 10 digs and a block while Crescenzi posted a pair of blocks. Crescenzi had one of the most efficient nights in recent memory as she tallied her six kills on just eight swings for an outstanding .750 hitting percentage.
 
Freshman setter Mary Kate Mulvaney handed out a team-best 15 assists while securing a service ace and four digs. Senior libero Caroline Chambers chipped in 10 digs and a team-best two service aces. Junior middle blocker Madison Fowler led the team at the net with four total blocks including a pair of solo stops.
 
The Mocs hit .286 as a squad while holding the Flames to .160. Both teams finished with five service aces while the Mocs out-blocked the Flames 7-3.
 
FSC never trailed in the opening set as the Mocs scored the opening three points and never looked back. The Flames were able to cut the deficit to just two late in the period but a 6-1 run by the Mocs to close out the stanza gave FSC a 25-18 victory.
 
The second set was much like the first as the Mocs never trailed. The set was close early on but a 7-1 run to close out the set gave FSC a 25-17 win.
 
The third set saw the Flames take their first lead of the match at 1-0 on the opening point. The Mocs responded with back-to-back points and the Flames would never lead again. The score would be tied on three different occasions with the last coming at 11-11. The Mocs kept the Flames at a safe distance the rest of the set eventually taking the 25-21 decision.
 
The Mocs will be back in action tomorrow for their final two matches of the South Region Crossover. FSC will take on No. 15 West Florida at 12:15 p.m. before facing Mississippi College in the final match of the crossover at 7 p.m.
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