FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern volleyball team begins its second run throughout the Sunshine State Conference with matches this weekend against Florida Southern and Eckerd.
The Sharks (5-14, 1-7 SSC) notched their first conference win of the season by sweeping Lynn on Oct. 22. Though they followed that up with a loss against Saint Leo the next day, the team has won two of their last five matches and is facing each of this weekend's combatants for a second time.
Friday's opponent, Florida Southern (17-8, 6-3 SSC), is currently tied for second in the conference and defeated the Sharks at the NSU Arena on Oct. 28. NSU also fell at home to Eckerd (13-8, 4-4 SSC), the team they face this Saturday, back on Oct. 27.
FSC has lost three of its last four matches, dropping two in conference play. They fell to Saint Leo last time out in straight sets. The Mocs feature one of the league's top defenses, with four players ranking among the 15 highest in digs. Their 19.94 dig per set average is best in the SSC, by nearly two full digs over the next closest team.
Eckerd has won four straight, including the last two against league foes Florida Tech and Barry, each in five sets. Junior middle blocker Katarina Milojevic has won back-to-back SSC Defensive Player of the Week awards, and has the most blocks of anyone in the conference.
For the Sharks,
Sydney Cook (So., Miami) led the team with 13 kills in the win over Lynn, and added seven vs. St. Leo. She is fifth in the SSC in that category and also fifth in points.
Dana Holger (So., Lino Lakes, Minn.) notched kill marks of seven and seven in those matches, and is currently 11th in kills and 15th in points in the league.
Katie Pyles (Fr., Denver) has eclipsed the 20-assist mark in eight of her last nine matches and is sixth in the conference in assists per set at 7.66.
Candice Johnson (Jr., Chuluota, Fla.) has led the team in digs in seven of the Sharks' last nine matches, and ranks 11th in the SSC at 3.32 per set.
Match times are 7 p.m. on Friday in Lakeland, and 4 p.m. for the Saturday contest in St. Petersburg. Live video will be offered by each school, at
this link on Friday at FSC, and against Eckerd
on Saturday here.
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