Box Score

Fort Lauderdale, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern University volleyball team dropped its first Sunshine State Conference match against No. 22 Saint Leo Lions, 3-1, in the NSU Arena.

The Sharks (3-6 overall, 0-1 SSC) forced the Lions (5-4 overall, 1-0 SSC) to a fourth set (25-21, 25-14, 27-29, 25-13), after dropping the first two.

Anabely Escarpita and Paola Ruiz finished with double-doubles to lead the Sharks. Escarpita at 15 kills and 14 digs, while Ruiz had 11 kills and 10 scoops.

Saint Leo finished with a .263 attack percentage to NSU’s .148 and outblocking them, 10.0 to 2.0.

The Sharks played a tight first set tying the Lions seven times, led by Escarpita who had a set high four kills.

Danielle Graham served the first ace of the match to put the Sharks up 6-5 in set one. After a block assist by Graham and Jordan Pappas on a Celeste Bonter attack, NSU took a 10-8 lead, its largest of the set. Saint Leo would fight back and go on a 5-0 run to retake the lead 12-10.

After pulling within one at 14-13, the Sharks would stumble as they had three straight errors, forcing head coach Steve Wilcosky to call a timeout. The Sharks did not rebound as the Lions took the first set, 25-21.

NSU was unable to even the sets as Saint Leo took the second set, 25-14. Once again Escarpita recorded four kills but the rest of the offense was unable to back her up.

Down 2-0, the Sharks did not go without a fight. NSUs’ 20 kills to the Lions’ 16 forced a game four in front of a crowd of nearly 200.

In one of its tightest sets all year, the two teams had 13 tied scores and five lead changes but it did not matter because the Sharks came out on top, 29-27.

Paola Ruiz slammed down a kill, followed by an ace to retake the lead at 11-10. At 15-16, an attack error by Katilin McKeena forced Saint Leo to call its first timeout of the entire match. A kill by Escarpita put the Sharks at set point but a timeout by the Lions and a kill by Jordon Sisson even the score at 24.

At 27-27, an attack error by Saint Leo and a kill by Ruiz gave the set to the Sharks, 29-27.

Unfortunately, the Sharks were unable to win the fourth set as they fell to the Lions, 3-1.

NSU will continue Sunshine State Conference play tomorrow at 4 p.m. as the Sharks take on the Eckerd Tritons at the NSU Arena.