LAKELAND, Fla. — The Florida Southern College volleyball team (11-11, 5-9 SSC) defeated Saint Leo University (1-18, 0-13 SSC) 3-1 at Jenkins Field House on Tuesday night, with a notable .421 hitting percentage in the first set contributing to the victory.
FSC opened the first set assertively, with junior
Catherine Sweeney securing the first point on a kill from freshman
Brielle Mullen's assist. The home team capitalized on early errors by Saint Leo, extending their lead with contributions from sophomore
Bali Coles and junior
Elizabeth McDonald. Key defensive plays, including a block by junior
Tori Borton and senior
Morgan Word, helped maintain momentum. The Lions attempted to close the gap with a series of service aces, bringing the score to 14-10. However, FSC responded decisively with multiple kills from Word and McDonald, guided by Mullen's precise setting. Despite a late push by SLU, the Moccasins closed the set with a kill by Sweeney, taking the set 25-17.
Florida Southern began the second set with a strong defensive presence, highlighted by Coles and Sweeney's block, setting the tone with an early lead. The home team then capitalized on momentum, with Borton and Word contributing crucial kills, pushing the score to 6-1. FSC maintained their advantage through effective blocks and timely kills, extending their lead to 16-8. Despite a push from the Lions that narrowed the gap to 21-18, Florida Southern responded with key plays from freshman
Chloe Moreland and Word. They managed to fend off the visitors' late advances, maintaining a narrow edge. The set concluded with a decisive kill from Borton, securing a 25-22 victory for the Mocs.
The Mocs began the third set with a service ace from Coles, sparking an early 4-1 lead. Sweeney added to the momentum with a kill, but Saint Leo quickly responded, leveling the score at 5-5 with consecutive service aces by Camila Villar. The teams exchanged points, with Florida Southern pulling ahead slightly with McDonald's kill, making it 8-6. However, the Lions countered to draw even and then took the lead at 10-9. Word and Sweeney kept Florida Southern competitive, tying the score at 15-15. As the set progressed, SLU regained control, pushing their lead to 17-15 with a service ace from Mia Moser. Despite a late kill by Word, Saint Leo maintained their edge, closing the set 25-22 after an attack error from Florida Southern.
FSC opened the fourth set with momentum, as Sweeney recorded an early kill to set the tone. McDonald contributed significantly with a series of kills, while sophomore
Nako Sasaki's service aces extended the lead. The home team capitalized on the visiting team's errors, building a substantial advantage. Despite a few responses from the Lions, the Moccasins maintained control. The combination of effective serving and timely kills, particularly from McDonald and Word, helped secure the set. FSC closed the set with a decisive 25-13 score, securing the match.
Word led with 17.5 points, contributing 13 kills and four blocks. McDonald added 14 points, recording a team-high 14 kills with a .303 hitting percentage. Sweeney tallied 15 points, achieving 13 kills on a .545 hitting percentage along with three blocks. Sasaki excelled at the service line with four aces and also collected 14 digs.
Molly Chappell stood out with 16 kills on 30 attempts, achieving a hitting percentage of .433, and contributed significantly to the Lions' efforts with 11 digs. Tajma Muharemovic played a pivotal role in setting up plays, recording 18 assists and adding 12 digs defensively. Moser was effective in serving, delivering three aces and leading defensively with 14 digs. Villar also contributed to the team's setting, providing 16 assists and adding four digs.
Looking ahead, the Mocs will travel to face Eckerd on Friday, Nov. 7 at McArthur Center in St. Petersburg, Florida. The match is set to begin at 6 p.m.
