DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Florida Southern College volleyball defeated Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University 3-0 on Saturday, winning 25-22, 25-20, 25-22. Florida Southern finished with a 12-6 advantage in total blocks and held the Eagles to a .156 hitting percentage.
Florida Southern improves to 12-9 overall and 7-6 in Sunshine State play. ERAU falls to 14-8 overall and 7-6 in Sunshine State play.
The Moccasins took the first set 25-22, closing out a tight set after the Eagles had pulled even at 21-21. Earlier, Florida Southern traded points through the opening stretch, getting kills from
Lindsay Piktel,
Mel Garrett and
Whitney Mall before turning an 8-7 deficit into a 12-9 lead with help from a Piktel kill, a block by
Layla Visser and
Bali Coles, and a Coles ace. ERAU tied the set at 14-14 and later went ahead 19-17, but the Mocs responded with a Mall kill, an Eagles attack error, a
Brielle Mullen ace and a block by Visser and Piktel to move in front 21-19. After another tie at 21-21, a service error and a Garrett-Visser block moved Florida Southern ahead 23-21, and Garrett followed one Eagles point with consecutive kills from
Nako Sasaki assists to reach set point and finish the set.
Piktel helped the Mocs finish the second set by being involved in four of their final five points, including the kill that completed a 25-20 win. Earlier, after ERAU went ahead 5-3, the Moccasins drew even at 5-5 on a Piktel kill and a block by Garrett and
Ella Kuosmanen. Florida Southern moved in front 9-8 on an Eagles setting error, then built the margin to 13-10 behind kills from Piktel and Garrett. After ERAU closed within 15-14, the Mocs answered with a service error point, Visser's kill, Coles' block and another Eagles attack error to reach 19-14 before holding off a late push.
In the third set, Florida Southern turned an 18-16 deficit into a 23-19 lead, getting a block from Kuosmanen and Garrett, a Kuosmanen kill, a Garrett ace and late defensive points involving Coles, Mall and Visser. Earlier, the Mocs faced a 10-4 hole before Mall delivered three straight kills, and the response continued with a Piktel kill, a Visser-Piktel block and a Mullen ace to pull within 13-11. Coles added a kill and an ace before Piktel tied the set at 14-14, helping Florida Southern erase the earlier six-point gap. After ERAU moved back in front 18-16, the Mocs answered again, and a final block by Visser and Coles closed the 25-22 set win.
Piktel led Florida Southern with 16 kills along with three blocks. Visser recorded seven total blocks and added three kills on five attacks. Mullen finished with 15 assists, 13 digs and two service aces. Sasaki collected a team-high 14 digs and added five assists.
Dakota Zieman finished with 11 kills, 10 digs and four blocks. Ashlyn Koerner recorded 34 assists, 10 digs, one ace and one block. Lindsay Smith added nine kills and one block assist. Kailey Hrbek posted six kills on a .308 hitting percentage with four block assists.
Up next, Florida Southern volleyball hosts Eckerd on Tuesday, Oct. 27, at 7 p.m. at George W. Jenkins Field House in Lakeland, Florida.
