LAKELAND, Fla. — Florida Southern College volleyball (3-0, 0-0 Sunshine State) defeated Augusta University (2-1, 0-0 Peach Belt) in four sets at Jenkins Field House on Saturday, securing the win with scores of 25-9, 25-23, 22-25, and 25-23. The match marked the end of the 2025 Jet's Pizza FSC Volleyball Classic. The Mocs were the lone team to finish the weekend undefeated at 3-0.
FSC surged to an early lead in the first set, capitalizing on multiple attack errors by Augusta and strong defensive blocks from
Whitney Mall and
Layla Visser, resulting in a 7-1 advantage.
Brielle Mullen delivered key assists, including consecutive kills by
Bali Coles, pushing the score to 10-3.
Tori Borton added a service ace and contributed to a series of kills that extended the lead to 15-5. The set concluded with the Mocs maintaining control, as Visser and Mall combined for a decisive block on Mia Saavedra, sealing a 25-9 victory.
The second set began with Augusta edging ahead early, but Florida Southern responded decisively with
Morgan Word delivering a kill at 3-2. Despite trailing at several points, FSC's
Lindsay Piktel and Mall made key contributions, with Piktel's kills narrowing the margin. In a pivotal moment, the home team capitalized on an attack error by Lauren Nelson to tie the game at 23-23. The Mocs continued their momentum, finishing the set with Mall's kill and
Taylor Zimmerman's service ace to secure a 25-23 victory.
The third set began with a kill from Piktel, assisted by Mullen, giving the team the early lead. Despite back-and-forth play, the home team faced a challenging stretch when Augusta scored five consecutive points to take a 10-7 advantage. The Moccasins responded with a series of critical plays, highlighted by Piktel's impressive four consecutive kills, which helped level the score at 15-15. However, the tense battle continued, and despite a late tie at 22-22, Augusta managed to pull ahead with a final flurry, securing a 25-22 victory in the set.
The fourth set opened with a strong start for FSC as Mall scored the first point off an assist from Mullen. As the set progressed, Word contributed crucial kills, including one at 15-16, to keep the game tightly contested. The Moccasins' resilience paid off in the final moments when Mall delivered back-to-back kills, securing a narrow 25-23 victory over the Jaguars with Mullen consistently setting her teammates up for success throughout the set.
Piktel led the team with 17 kills and added one block assist, finishing with 17.5 points. Mall contributed significantly with 16 kills and a team-high six total blocks, amassing 19.5 points. Coles recorded 14 digs, bolstering the defensive effort.
Nako Sasaki was pivotal on defense with a team-high 21 digs, supporting the backcourt effectively.
Saavedra led AU with 15.5 points, contributing 12 kills and three block assists across four matches. Sydney Harrington was pivotal in setting, delivering 28 assists and adding 10 digs and two service aces. Hunter MacFarland anchored the defense, leading the team with 15 digs.
Looking ahead, Florida Southern will face Fairmont State on Friday, September 12, at Bill Greehey Arena in San Antonio, Texas. The match is set to begin at 3:30 p.m. It is the first of three matches for the Mocs in Texas as they compete in the Rattler Invitational.
