LAKELAND, Fla. — The Florida Southern College volleyball team (9-4, 3-2 SSC) defeated Rollins College (11-7, 0-5 SSC) in a four-set match at Jenkins Field House, securing the win with set scores of 21-25, 25-17, 25-19, and 25-20.
Florida Southern began the first set with an early exchange of points against Rollins, facing a 4-1 deficit early. The Mocs responded with a kill by freshman
Whitney Mall and a series of service aces from senior
Morgan Word, closing the gap to 9-7 and later taking a brief lead at 12-11 with a kill by freshman
Layla Visser. A back-and-forth battle ensued, with freshman
Chloe Moreland and sophomore
Bali Coles delivering key kills to keep Florida Southern competitive. However, Rollins capitalized on a late surge with kills from Cameron Grange and Rylee Yarborough to regain control. Despite a service ace from Word leveling the score at 18-18, the Tars edged ahead and closed the set 25-21 after an attack error by the Mocs and a final kill by Grange.
FSC opened the second set with a strong defensive effort, highlighted by a block from Visser and Mall, leading to an early 3-1 advantage. Coles contributed with a service ace, further extending the lead. The team capitalized on Rollins' errors to maintain momentum and increase the gap to 9-5, with Word delivering a key kill. Florida Southern continued to press, with Piktel and Coles securing crucial points through consistent attacking play. Despite a brief scoring push from the Tars, FSC's solid blocking, including a key stop by Coles and Visser, helped fend off the opposition. The set concluded with a decisive kill by Visser, sealing a 25-17 victory for the Moccasins and tying the match 1-1.
The third set began with Rollins gaining an early lead, capitalizing on a few errors from FSC. However, the Mocs soon shifted momentum, thanks to key plays by Piktel and Mall, who each contributed crucial kills to level the score at 9-9. This set the stage for a competitive exchange of points, with both teams trading small runs. Florida Southern then took control with a decisive sequence, where Mall and Piktel delivered impactful plays, extending their lead to 16-12. Continuous pressure from the Moccasins' defense resulted in a series of errors from RC, allowing Florida Southern to maintain their advantage. The set closed with the Mocs securing a 25-19 victory, highlighted by a final block from Visser and Mall.
In the fourth set, Florida Southern began with a strong offensive surge, capitalizing on an attack error and a service ace by Coles to take an early 3-0 lead. The team maintained momentum with Mall contributing a block, followed by a service ace from freshman
Payton Nazzari to extend the lead to 9-6. Despite a brief rally by the Tars, marked by kills from Marta Tsaneva, the Mocs maintained composure with key kills from Word and Piktel, keeping them ahead. As the set progressed, Florida Southern continued to fend off Rollins' attempts to tie, with Coles and Moreland adding crucial points. Nazzari's second service ace of the set helped the Mocs edge closer to the finish line, pushing the score to 16-14. The team closed the set strongly, executing a series of plays with Piktel and Word securing final kills. Florida Southern concluded the set with a 25-20 victory, securing the match.
Word contributed significantly to the offensive effort, recording five kills and serving three aces. Coles added eight kills and registered 12 digs, showcasing her dual role on the court. Mall led the defensive front with six total blocks, while sophomore
Nako Sasaki anchored the back row, leading the team with 15 digs.
Tsaneva led Rollins with 15.5 points, highlighted by 12 kills and five total blocks over four games. Makayla Moran contributed significantly at the net with a team-high six total blocks and 13.5 points, maintaining a .304 hitting percentage. Jenna Garza was pivotal in setting up the offense, recording 25 assists across the matches. Sarah Seabrooke anchored the defense with 15 digs, showcasing her reliability in the back row.
In their next game, Florida Southern will host Eckerd at the George W. Jenkins Field House in Lakeland, Fla. on October 11. The match is set for 4 p.m.
