Box Score
TAMPA, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern University (8-19, 3-13 SSC) ended its season suffering a shutout by the No. 2 Tampa Spartans (24-3, 14-1 SSC) Friday night in the Bob Martinez Sports Center.
The Spartans swept the Sharks, 25-8, 25-23, 25-16.
With 23 assists in the match, sophomore
Jordan Pappas (Naperville, Ill.) finished the season with over 1,000.
Sophomore
Rachel Woodson (Rogers, Ark.) recorded nine kills to lead the Sharks and junior
Paola Ruiz (Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico) lead NSU on the defensive side of the court with 12 digs.
NSU got 30 kills, hitting .189 but the Spartans was unmatchable hitting .447 with 47 kills.
Knowing it was going to be a challenge, NSU was unable to put a dent into the 2010 SSC Regular Season Champions.
The Sharks suffered their worst loss in a set in the 2010 season as NSU fell 25-8 in the opener.
Down 1-0, the Sharks stepped up and competed with the Spartans in the second set. NSU even took a two point lead on a great defensive play by senior libero
Kathleen Yony (Miami, Fla.). Yony dove at a Spartan attack, stuck out her hand and pancaked the ball, which resulted in a kill by Woodson.
Yony finished her stint at NSU with 1,721 digs and the current all-time dig leader.
Hitting .250 and keeping the score even at 14-14, UT was forced to call a timeout. At 15-15, UT recorded three straight kills to take the lead.
Down by three late, junior
Molly Sigerich down one of her four kills in the set to pull within two at 22-20. Pulling within one down the stretch, the Sharks were unable to retake the lead and fell in set two, 25-23.
The Spartans opened up the third set on a 5-0 run. Sophomore
Danielle Graham (Cincinnati, Ohio) put the first point on the board for the Sharks.
After a break, the Sharks got back-to-back kills from Graham and Woodson and cut UT's lead, 14-7.
Fighting till the end, the Sharks could not muster enough points to grab the upset.
