BOX SCORE
Valdosta, Ga. – The Nova Southeastern University volleyball team (7-12) stumbled against host Valdosta State (16-6), 3-1, in the Wingate by Wyndham Crossover Classic Saturday.
The Sharks hit .221 in the match but it was not good enough as the Blazers hit at a .325 clip. Three Sharks recorded double-digit kills with 11 in
Paola Ruiz (Sr., Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico),
Danielle Graham (So., Cincinnati, Ohio) and
Anabely Escarpita (Jr., Boca Raton, Fla.). Sophomore setter
Jordan Pappas (Naperville, Ill.) dished 46 assists while
Kathleen Yony (Sr., Miami, Fla.) and Ruiz added 15 and 13 digs, respectively.
Dropping the first set, 25-20, the Sharks stumbled at the net only hitting .098. Sophomore
Paige Boivin gave NSU a 7-6 lead on a service ace.
After being down by four at 12-8, Ruiz pulled the Sharks within one with one of her four kills in the opening frame. Late in the game, Escarpita would even the game at 18, but a 3-0 run by Valdosta State forced Wilcosky to call a timeout. NSU had two attack errors late in the stretch, leading to the Blazers to take an early 1-0 lead.
Offensively the Sharks turned their game around in the second set, as they hit .500 in the first eight points and finished with a .333 attack percentage and a 25-16 win.
With the Blazers pulling within one at 8-7, two kills from Sigerich and one from Ruiz, made VSU's head coach to use his second timeout.
Valdosta State put up one of their six blocks to once again pull with one at 14-13 but that would be the last time. Back-to-back kills by Escarpita and Graham extended the lead by two. The Sharks would end on a 3-0 run and win on an ace by Yony who would leave Blazer defenders looking at each other.
Evened at 1-1, Valdosta State only committed two attack errors, outhitting the Sharks, .613 to .219 and take a 25-16 victory.
Graham led the Sharks with three kills hitting at a .750 clip.
Down 2-1, NSU played an exciting fourth set but it was not enough to contain the Blazers as Valdosta State finished on a 9-1 run to win, 25-20.
The Sharks opened the fourth set leading 10-7 before Valdosta State called a timeout. The Blazers tried to kill NSU's momentum again as the whistle blew at 14-11 for VSU's second timeout. The Sharks looked like they had the game in the bag with an 18-14 lead but a 6-1 run gave Valdosta State the 20-19 lead.
Ruiz got a kill to put within one at 21-20 but the Blazers downed a couple kills and an ace to close out the match.
The Sharks will return back to Sunshine State Conference play as NSU will head to St. Petersburg, Fla. on Friday to face Eckerd at 7 p.m., then battle Saint Leo on Saturday at 4 p.m. in Saint Leo.
