Mocs Win Five-Set Thriller to Remain Perfect in 2023

LAKELAND, Fla. – The Florida Southern College volleyball team closed out action at the FSC Volleyball Classic Saturday afternoon with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Flagler. The Mocs moved to 2-0 under the direction of head coach Ashlee Crowder and opened the season 2-0 for the third-straight season.
 
Senior Mackenzie Petermann once again led the way for the Moccasins as she put down 18 kills and dug up 19 balls to lead the team in both categories. The double-double marked the first of the season for the outside hitter. Junior Zoe Lowe chipped in a career-high 11 kills while posting a career-best three solo blocks.
 
Juniors Kiersten Kraus and Madison Fowler each finished with seven kills in the victory. Kraus came up three kills shy of a triple-double for the second-straight match as she posted 23 assists and 14 digs as well. The transfer also added three blocks including one solo stop. Fowler added a team-best six blocks with one solo stuff. Graduate students Jana Gilic and Elena Djokovic rounded out the FSC hitters as Gilic had six kills with Djokovic adding five. Gilic also picked up five blocks with one solo and Djokovic had nine digs and four blocks.
 
Junior Megan Carron once again held down the libero spot while digging up a team-high tying 19 balls while senior Cassidy Markel shared setting duties with Kraus and finished with 22 assists and three digs.
 
After early back-and-forth action in the opening set the Mocs used an 8-2 run midway through to open up a four-point lead, 19-15. The Saints responded with a 7-2 run of their own to take a 22-21 lead but the Mocs would not go away as FSC rattled off four-straight points to take the opening set 25-22.
 
The second set saw the Mocs jump out to a 14-8 lead early on but Flagler held on and used a 8-1 run late to take a 22-20 lead. The Mocs battled back to tie it at both 22-22 and 23-23 but back-to-back points gave the Saints the second set 25-23 and tied the match 1-1.
 
The third set was tight throughout with Flagler posting their first set point at 24-23. The Saints would get their second at 25-24 before the Mocs rattled off back-to-back points to force their first set point at 26-25. Flagler once again responded to tie the set at 26-26 and then the Saints to a 27-26 lead but the Mocs again fought back to tie it. A Flagler kill followed by a block ended the set in the Saints' favor 29-27.
 
The momentum for the Saints carried over to the fourth where they opened up a 7-1 lead early. The Mocs worked their way back into the set eventually tying the period at 17-17. The Mocs would then out-score the Saints 8-4 down the stretch to take a 25-21 victory and force a decisive fifth set.
 
The fifth set started much like the fourth with the Saints opening up a 5-1 lead early. At the changeover the Saints led 8-4 and took the first point after the switch to lead 9-4. A 10-0 run by the Mocs forced the first match point of the night at 14-9. The Saints would not go down easy as they rattled off three-straight points but a Petermann kill ended the match at 15-12.
 
The Mocs will now hit the road for the first time this season as FSC takes part in the UIndy Invitational in Indianapolis, Ind. The event takes place Sept. 8-9 and the Mocs will face four opponents including the host Greyhounds.
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