Mocs Drop Net Results Invite Finale to the Host Hillsdale

HILLSDALE, Mich. – In a battle of two teams who appeared in the "others receiving votes" category in the most recent AVCA / TARAFLEX Division II Poll, the Florida Southern College volleyball team fell to the host of the Net Results Invite and head coach Ashlee Crowder's alma mater Hillsdale College, 3-0, Saturday morning.
 
The Moccasins are now 4-2 on the season with two non-conference matches remaining on the schedule before the tough Sunshine State Conference slate. The Chargers improved to 4-1 on the year.
 
The opening set was back-and-forth with both teams going on runs but it was an 8-0 run by the Chargers that opened things up late for the hosts, 21-17. A Mackenzie Petermann killed ended the run and sparked three-straight points by the Mocs. The Chargers saw their lead slip to just one at 21-20 but back-to-back kills from the hosts opened up the lead to 23-20. The Mocs responded once again as a Kiersten Kraus kill sparked a 4-0 run by the Mocs and the first set point of the day at 24-23. Unfortunately for the Mocs, a Hillsdale kill, followed by an FSC attack error and a service ace from the host gave Hillsdale the 26-24 victory.
 
The second set saw the Chargers get a small lead and hold onto it down the stretch. The Mocs scored six of the final 10 points in the set but it was not enough as the Chargers hung on for a 25-21 victory. The second set opened up after an early 5-0 run by the Chargers which gave them a lead they would never relinquish. The hosts went on to win 25-17, taking the 3-0 victory.  
 
Senior Zoe Lowe was the lone Moccasin with double-digit kills as she finished with a team-best 11 on 18 swings with just three errors for an impressive .444 hitting percentage. Lowe also added four blocks to her line. Senior Madison Fowler had a nearly flawless hitting performance ending with nine kills on 14 attacks for an outstanding .643 hitting percentage while also adding three blocks. Kraus continues to flirt with a triple-double as she posted seven kills on only nine attacks for a massive .778 hitting percentage, while adding nine assists, 10 digs and a block.
 
Petermann added five kills, six digs and a block while junior Morgan Word led the blocking effort with five total including one solo. Sophomore setter Mary Kate Mulvaney led the way in assists with 16 while also adding seven digs and a service ace. Graduate student libero Caroline Chambers dug up six balls, dished out eight assists and led the team with two service aces.
 
The Chargers were led by Marilyn Popplewell who finished with 11 kills, five service aces and four digs. Two others finished with nine kills each while Amanda Hilliker led in digs with 15.
 
The Chargers hit .294 as a team while the Mocs had their best hitting performance of the season at .211. FSC won the blocking battle 8-4 while both teams finished with 35 digs. One area where the hosts dominated was at the service line where they had 11 service aces and just four errors while the Mocs picked up just six aces while committing two errors.  
 
The Mocs will be back in action Friday, September 20^th at 3:30 p.m. as they battle 21^st-ranked West Florida in a neutral site match hosted by Valdosta State University.
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