LAKELAND, Fla. — The Florida Southern College volleyball team (12-16, 6-14 SSC) fell to Florida Tech (15-13, 10-10 SSC) in straight sets on Saturday at Jenkins Field House, with scores of 25-18, 25-23, 25-21. Despite the loss, the Moccasins recorded six service aces in the match.
The match began with the Panthers securing an early lead, aided by a service ace and a series of attack errors by Florida Southern. Freshman
Whitney Mall delivered a crucial kill to break the initial run, putting FSC on the board. Despite the effort, FT extended their advantage to 8-1 with consistent play.
The Moccasins gathered momentum with junior
Elizabeth McDonald and senior
Morgan Word contributing key points, tightening the gap to 18-11. However, FT maintained control, reaching a 21-13 lead. McDonald continued to find success, narrowing the margin to 24-18 with a late service ace by Word.
Ultimately, FT closed the set at 25-18 following a final kill by Cordelia Kearns. Florida Southern looked to rebound in the next set.
Florida Southern opened the second set with momentum, securing the first three points with contributions from junior
Catherine Sweeney and McDonald, both assisted by freshman
Brielle Mullen. The team maintained a slight edge, fueled by a service ace from freshman
Drew Page and a kill by Word, despite service errors that allowed the Panthers to keep the score close.
FT responded, tying the score at 7-7 before the Mocs regained control. A string of attack errors from FT players helped FSC extend their lead to 18-13. However, FT closed the gap with a series of points, including a kill by Isabelle Clark and an attack error by the Moccasins, bringing the score to 22-21.
In the final moments, FSC fought to maintain their advantage with a kill from Sweeney. However, FT capitalized on attack errors and a decisive kill by Kearns to take the set 25-23.
Florida Southern began the third set with a strong start but found themselves trailing early as FT secured a 4-0 lead. A block by junior
Nicole Russell and sophomore
Bali Coles shifted momentum, cutting the deficit to 4-1. Mall and McDonald each contributed key kills, keeping FSC within reach at 6-4 before FT extended their lead again.
Midway through the set, FSC closed the gap with a service ace by Word and a series of FT attack errors, bringing the score to 16-16. Word's consistent attacks tied the game multiple times, but FT managed a slight edge at 19-18.
Despite a continuous fight from the Moccasins, including another tying kill by Word at 21-21, FT pulled ahead in the final moments. FT capitalized on a series of late kills from Kearns, closing the set with a 25-21 victory.
Word contributed significantly with seven kills and two service aces, accumulating 9.0 points in the match. McDonald led the team in scoring with 10 kills on 29 attempts, finishing with 10.0 points. Junior
Tori Borton facilitated the offense with 10 assists and added four digs. Sophomore
Nako Sasaki showcased her defensive capabilities, recording a team-high 19 digs.
Kearns led the Panthers with 17 kills and contributed significantly on defense with 15 digs, amassing a total of 18.5 points. Kenzie Delacher played a crucial role with 17 assists and added 10 digs, showcasing her playmaking abilities. Hadley Waldren was efficient at the net, delivering eight kills with a .667 hitting percentage and totaling 10 points, while also contributing three blocks. These performances highlighted their impact in the recent match.
