LAKELAND, Fla. — Florida Southern College women's volleyball outlasted Anderson University in a five-set thriller at Jenkins Field House Friday night in their opening match of the 2025 Jet's Pizza FSC Volleyball Classic, winning 26-24, 21-25, 19-25, 25-23, 15-11. The Moccasins' 11 service aces played a crucial role in the victory, complemented by their 12 total team blocks, which stifled Anderson's offensive efforts. The teams battled through a closely contested match, with FSC rallying to take the final two sets and secure the win.
The first set unfolded with competitive exchanges, each team capitalizing on errors and service aces. Early on, Florida Southern managed to break a 9-9 tie with a 3-0 run, highlighted by blocks from
Morgan Word and
Lindsay Piktel, forcing the Trojans to regroup. Anderson responded with a steady performance by Ellie Nieporte and Symone Wyatt, leveling the score at 17-17. The teams continued to exchange points, reaching a 21-21 tie. Word's consecutive service aces gave Florida Southern a critical two-point lead at 24-23. Despite a late kill by Mikaylah Hedlund for Anderson,
Chloe Moreland's decisive kill secured the set for Florida Southern at 26-24.
In the second set, Florida Southern took an early lead against AU, with Word and Piktel each contributing kills to make it 5-1. A service ace by Word extended the lead before AU responded with a service ace and kill by Mia Elder to close the gap to 6-5. Florida Southern maintained a slight edge until the Trojans surged ahead with a 5-1 run, highlighted by kills from Hedlund and Wyatt, bringing the score to 18-16 in favor of the Trojans. Despite a late push from the Mocs, with a service ace by
Nako Sasaki narrowing the margin to 23-21, AU closed out the set at 25-21 following a kill by Elder and an FSC attack error.
In the third set, Anderson opened with a strong start, quickly taking a 6-2 lead, aided by two attack errors from Florida Southern. The Mocs responded with a series of kills from
Elizabeth McDonald and
Whitney Mall, closing the gap to 9-7. However, the Trojans' Wyatt and Hedlund kept the pressure on, pushing their team to a 16-14 lead. Despite a brief rally from FSC, AU extended their advantage to 20-16 with a series of points from Emily Campbell and Elder. The set concluded with Anderson pulling away to a 25-19 victory, highlighted by Jamie Juhnevicz's service ace and a final kill by Wyatt.
The fourth set was a tightly contested battle, with several momentum shifts. Florida Southern took an early lead with a kill from Moreland at 1-0, and later extended it to 4-2 with a block by
Layla Visser. Anderson responded with a strong mid-set performance, tying the score at 6-6 and then eventually taking the lead at 16-14 with a series of kills by Elder and Ava Reeves. Florida Southern regained control with a service ace by
Brielle Mullen to level the score at 16-16, setting up a tense back-and-forth exchange. Ultimately, a critical kill by Mall at 24-23 and an attack error by Hedlund secured a 25-23 victory for Florida Southern in the fourth set.
In the decisive fifth set, FSC capitalized on key plays to secure a 15-11 victory. The set began with Mall and McDonald exchanging kills with Anderson to keep the score tight at 2-2. Anderson's Elder and Wyatt found success early, helping their team stay competitive. However, Sasaki served two aces at a crucial moment, shifting momentum in favor of the home team from 11-11 to 13-11. Word then delivered consecutive kills from assists by Mullen, sealing the victory for Florida Southern at 15-11.
Word led the team with four service aces and added 10 kills, showcasing her versatility on both the attack and serve.
Bali Coles contributed defensively with a career-high 19 digs while adding a career-best nine kills. Sasaki recorded 24 digs and four service aces, providing a strong defensive presence and contributing to the team's service game. Lastly, Visser made an impact at the net with five total blocks, including one solo block, enhancing the team's defensive efforts.
The Trojans showcased strong performances from several key players. Wyatt led the team with 18.5 points, contributing 18 kills on 41 attempts with a .293 hitting percentage. Nieporte was instrumental in setting up plays, recording 31 assists, while also adding 10 digs and two service aces to her tally. Hedlund was a defensive standout, amassing 19 digs and contributing significantly on offense with 12 kills and 15 total points. Juhnevicz also made a mark on defense, collecting 15 digs and a pair of service aces, proving pivotal in the team's backcourt.
Looking ahead, Florida Southern will host Hillsdale on Saturday, Sept. 6, at noon. The match will take place at George W. Jenkins Field House in Lakeland, Fla.
