BOX SCORE

FLORENCE, Ala. – The Nova Southeastern women’s volleyball team (2-6) rebounded after dropping the first set to down Queens Saturday morning, 3-1, at the North Alabama Classic. The victory gives the Sharks a 2-2 record for the tournament after opening with a win against Harding on Thursday.

The first set looked to be the Sharks as they built a 17-14 lead following kills from Anabely Escarpita (Sr., Boca Raton, Fla.) and Julia Lopez (So., El Paso, Texas) that led to a Royals timeout. The break in play seemed to shift momentum as Queens came out and captured six straight points, ignited by two service aces from Jocelyn Kellinger. The Royals would take the set, 25-21, and the early 1-0 lead in the match.

The Sharks came out in the second set committing two errors, but quickly turned it around and built an 11-6 advantage, instigating a timeout from the Royals bench. Danielle Graham (Jr., Cincinnati, Ohio), Escarpita and Paige Boivin (Jr., Plainfield, Ill.) each recorded a kill to help build the lead.

Queens battled back to knot the set at 14, but a Lauren Lewkowicz (Fr., Coral Springs, Fla.) kill gave NSU the lead right back. A Boivin service ace gave the Sharks a comfortable five-point margin following another Royals timeout. Lewkowicz closed out the set for the Sharks, smashing home a kill to tie the match, 1-1.

NSU stormed out in the third set, establishing an 8-3 advantage capped by a Kristina Eric (So., Sokolac, Bosnia) block on a Brittany Harvey attack. The Royals battled to within one, 8-7, but the Sharks would take control of the remainder of the set.

The Sharks tallied 12 kills in the third set, while only committing three errors and attacking at a .310 percent clip. Graham registered four early kills in the set, while Molly Sigerich (Sr., Downers Grove, Ill.), Escarpita and Eric would each add two. Eric also added a service ace in the set as NSU went up 2-1, winning the third set 25-18.

The dominance continued into the fourth set for the Sharks as they would never trail en route to a 25-20 victory. Graham began things for the Sharks, slamming home the first point of the set and Sigerich followed shortly after with one of her own to give NSU a 4-1 lead.

Destiny Bannister would notch her sixth kill of the match to give NSU a 17-14 lead and Sigerich pushed the difference to 19-15 after scoring a service ace. A block by Eric and Sigerich would give the Sharks a 24-20 advantage before a Royals attack error finished off the set and match, 3-1, in favor of NSU.

In each match of the North Alabama Classic the Sharks out-blocked their opponents, including a 9.0-8.5 advantage against the Royals. Sigerich and Eric each recorded two solo blocks for the Sharks. Graham tallied a match-high 15 kills with a .286 attack percentage. Boivin also had a match-high 27 digs, 10 more than the any other player in the match.

The Sharks went .500 at the North Alabama Classic, picking up victories over Harding and Queens. Conference play will kick off for NSU Tuesday as Saint Leo heads to Fort Lauderdale for a 7 p.m. match.

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